2,442 individuals arrested in a week for breaking pandemic rules

Passengers wait for a ride at the MRT 3 in North Avenue Station in  Quezon City. This photo was taken on Oct.19, 2020. (File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 2,442 individuals were arrested for violating various health protocols — mostly on social distancing — from June 21 to 27, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año reported on Monday during the taped weekly Palace briefing on the COVID-19 situation.

Of those arrested, 1,556 failed to observed physical distancing, 837 were not wearing face masks, and 39 attended mass gatherings.

Actually, according to Año, there were 51,012 violators of the face mask rule recorded during the entire week — of whom 29,904 were issued warnings, 16,8778 were fined, 3,493 were asked to do community service, and 837 were arrested.

There were also 598 violators of the ban on mass gatherings – of whom 479 were warned, 72 were fined, eight were asked to do community service, and 39 were arrested.

There were 18,617  violators of the social distancing rule — of whom 14,636 were warned, 2,016 were fined, 399 were asked to do community service, and 1,566 were arrested.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the police to arrest people violating health protocols set in during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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