LUCENA CITY—Police so far arrested 170 alleged violators in the province of Quezon of President Rodrigo Duterte’s enhanced community quarantine for Luzon meant to stop the transmission of COVID-19.
Most of the violators were caught in the streets during curfew hours from March 14 to 30, according to Col. Audie Madrideo, Quezon police chief.
Local governments in Quezon have been implementing curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
At least 94 of those arrested were charged with “resistance and disobedience to a person in authority.”
Madrideo, in a report, said 58 of those arrested were charged with willful violation of Republic Act No. 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
The law penalizes failure to report diseases or protect Filipinos from public health threats.
The others arrested were facing charges that included direct assault, alarm and scandal, grave threats, unjust vexation, disobedience of orders, price gouging and others.
The provincial government has shut the doors to outsiders in a bid to stop the transmission of COVID-19. The restriction applies even to residents who are returning to the province.