ILOILO CITY—Piles of soil and rocks are blocking roads on the boundary of Roxas City and neighboring towns in Capiz province not because of a landslide. It was the city’s way of blocking access to enforce quarantine restrictions against COVID-19.
Roxas Mayor Ronnie Dadivas ordered the barriers placed in three secondary roads while entry and exit points are choked by checkpoints.
Dadivas has defended the measure against criticism by some residents.
“It is my priority to protect the residents of the city. I will fulfill my responsibility to protect the city,” he said in video statement.
He said the roads, now blocked by what look like landslides, are the weak points in the city which could be used by carriers or even just suspected carriers of COVID-19.