MANILA, Philippines — Experts of the OCTA Research Group were asked to relay their recommendations to the government’s COVID-19 task force in private to let President Rodrigo Duterte decide without pressure from the public, Malacañang said Wednesday.
“The data can be discussed, but in the end, let the political leader decide pursuant to what he thinks is best for the country,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview over CNN Philippines.
“It was an appeal to them that the President should be given the leeway to decide, to make the correct decisions without being influenced by public opinion. And of course, you generate public opinion if you publicly make known your recommendations,” he added.
Roque earlier urged the OCTA Research Group to refrain from publicly making recommendations on quarantine classifications.
The Palace official issued the plea after the experts’ group recommended placing parts of Bauan in Batangas, Calbayog in Western Samar, and General Trias in Cavite under a stricter community quarantine.
Roque explained provincial governors and the regional task force on COVID-19 can already decide to place the said areas under stricter measures.