Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte (Photo from QC-PAISD)
MANILA, Philippines — Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to arrest individuals without face masks in public or wearing the masks improperly, the Quezon City local government on Monday said would still exercise “maximum tolerance” by warning violators.
Duterte, in a previous pre-recorded speech, ordered the police to arrest and detain anyone caught wearing a mask improperly.
“We came to the agreement that we would still honor the local ordinance that we would still practice maximum tolerance,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel, recalling her conversation with Quezon City Police District Director PBGen. Antonio Yarra.
“In fact, we do a lot of warning prior to even fining. We do a lot of warning especially for children, minors, senior citizens and for those who just accidentally put down their masks inadvertently,” she added.
Under Quezon City’s ordinance on wearing face masks, fines are set at P300 for the first offense, P500 for the second offense, and P1,000 for the third offense.
“Arrests are only made, and we agreed on that when there is resistance, defiance, violence or assault on a police officer. For those na hindi talaga nagsuot ng mask, wala talang masks, saka sila fina-fine,” Belmonte said.
Belmonte said out of 3,625 face mask rule violators, only 348 were arrested.