Close to 100 quarantine violators held in Quezon

LUCENA CITY –– Authorities arrested 94 alleged violators in Quezon province of President Duterte’s enhanced community quarantine order, police reported Thursday.

The 94 violators were nabbed in the province’s two cities and 39 municipalities from March 14 to 25, most of them during curfew hours, Colonel Audie Madrideo, Quezon police chief, said in a report.

At least 54 of the lawbreakers violated Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code, which “punishes resistance and disobedience to a person in authority or the agents of such person.”

Some 28 of the suspects were charged with violation of the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act that provides policies and measures for surveillance and response to notifiable diseases to protect the public from any health threats.

The rest of the suspects were slapped with cases that include direct assault – 5; alarm and scandal – 2; grave threats – 2; unjust vexation – 1; disobedience to order -1; and violation of Presidential Decree 1829 or obstruction of justice -1.

If found guilty, violators face a penalty of not more than six months imprisonment or a fine of not more than P50,000.

President Duterte placed the whole Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.

Local governments in Quezon have been implementing curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

LZB