Unified penalty: DILG eyes 10- to 30-day jail time for lockdown violators
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday is eyeing to impose a penalty of 10 to 30 days imprisonment for those who would violate coronavirus quarantine rules in a unified ordinance that will be crafted for lockdown violators nationwide.
“Magkakaroon ng uniform implementation kung paano ipapatupad yung health standard protocols. Yung number of days i-imprison kapag nag-violate ka ng (face) mask (policy), we suggest 10 to 30 days. For physical distancing, also, 10 to 30 days imprisonment,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a pre-State of the Nation Address aired live on television.
(We will have a uniform implementation on how to implement health standard protocols. The number of days of imprisonment if you violate the face mask policy, we suggest 10 to 30 days. For physical distancing, also 10 to 30 days imprisonment.)
“We would like to implement these standards. If we can do that actually, we can prevent further spread of COVID-19,” he added.
Meanwhile, Año said local government units should impose a fine ranging from P1,000 to P5,000 for those who would breach quarantine policies. The DILG official, however, did not mention which offenses will have a penalty of a fine or imprisonment.
The DILG earlier said they will implement uniform sanctions for individuals who would violate protocols.
