(REUTERS)
MANILA, Philippines — More than 1.4 million individuals have so far been apprehended for violating COVID-19 health protocols since May, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday.
The DILG, along with the Philippine National Police (PNP),said a total of 1,411,133 violators have been apprehended, mostly not wearing face masks and face shields, its improper use and not following social distancing rules, according to DILG Asec. Odilon Pasaraba.
Over one million of the violators were issued warnings while some 42,000 were arrested.
The rest were fined or were tasked to do community service, Pasaraba said.
The government intensified its crackdown on health protocol violators after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the arrest of individuals who are not properly wearing their face masks.