(FILE) Shoppers stand apart as social distancing measures, amid concerns of the COVID-19 coronavirus, while queueing outside a supermarket in Manila on March 17, 2020. (Photo by Maria TAN / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Barangay (village) chiefs who will fail to break up mass gatherings in their respective areas will be suspended in addition to being arrested, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned on Thursday.
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the police to arrest barangay chiefs for violations of the ban on mass gatherings due to dereliction of duty.
“Kapag meron na criminal offense, kasabay yan ang administrative case. At dito, pupuwede nating iapply yung preventive suspension,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in an interview over Teleradyo.
(If there’s a criminal offense, there’s also an administrative case. Here we can apply the preventive suspension.)
“Habang hini-hear yung kaso nya, aalisin natin sya sa pwesto para hindi maimpluwensyahan yung nagaganap na imbestigasyon. Ang preventive suspension ay puwedeng ibigay ng Ombudsman o ng Pangulo,” he added.
(While we hear his case, we will remove him from office so he cannot influence that investigation. The preventive suspension can be imposed by the Ombudsman or the President.)
Año advised barangay chiefs to coordinate with the police and city or municipal officials in monitoring super spreader events in their respective jurisdictions.
“Napakalinaw naman kung saan nagsisimula yung mga super spreader events. Mga parks, mga lugar na kung saan nagkakaroon ng basketball, boxing, swimming pool, resort. Merong mga clubhouse na may mga swimming pool. Kaya kailangan aktibo ka,” he said.
(It’s clear where super spreader events happen—parks, areas where there are basketball, boxing, swimming pool, resorts. There are clubhouses with a swimming pool. That’s why you have to be active.)
“Hindi pupuwedeng sabihin na hindi ko alam e, malaki yung area ko. Umalis ka na lang sa puwesto mo, hahanap na lang tayo ng barangay captain na kayang gawin yung trabaho sa ganitong pandemic,” he added.
(You can’t say you didn’t know because your area is huge. Just leave your post and we’ll find a barangay captain who can do his job during the pandemic.)