Duterte orders village chiefs: Restrain the unvaxxed

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT Passengers bound for Central Luzon on Wednesday are required to present proof of their COVID-19 vaccination before they are allowed to board their bus at Baliwag Transit Terminal on Edsa in Cubao, Quezon City. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

To restrain the “galloping” number of COVID-19 cases, President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday directed barangay officials to find the unvaccinated individuals in their communities and make sure they stay at home.

He noted that from around 5,400 new cases on Jan. 4, the figure jumped to more than 17,200 on Jan. 6, which meant that the cases tripled in just two days.

Can deputize agents

“That is how the problem is galloping in our community, in our country and in the world,” he said.

As a person in authority, the village chief can enforce all the laws of the land within his community, Mr. Duterte said in a recorded address aired on national television on Thursday evening.

“I am now giving orders to the barangay captains to look for those persons who are not vaccinated and just would request them or order them, if you may, to stay put. And if he goes out of the house and goes around in the community, or maybe wherever he goes, he can be restrained,” the President said.

If the unvaccinated person refuses to be restrained, he said the village chief could arrest the “recalcitrant” individual.

The barangay captain could also mobilize other citizens and deputize them as his agents, Mr. Duterte said.

“That is my position. They can file cases, I’d be happy to answer. I already have a case in the ICC (International Criminal Court), you can just add that to this so that I’d only have to submit one reply when the time comes,” he said.

Mr. Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity in the ICC in relation to his bloody drug war. The court’s prosecutor is now investigating the allegations against him.

No immediate arrest

“I hate to say these words,” he said. “Being the President, ultimately, I am responsible for the safety and well-being of every Filipino and that is why my orders are to restrain them.”

He said the unvaccinated need not be arrested immediately. They can be requested to stay home because their refusal to get the vaccine puts everybody in jeopardy.

The Department of Health said that people who were unvaccinated are more likely to catch severe COVID-19 and most of those currently hospitalized had not gotten their shots.