DOH on SC dismissal of petitions vs COVID-19 efforts: Policies serve common good

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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court’s dismissal of three petitions against the constitutionality of government measures during the coronavirus lockdown.

In a statement, DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa asserted that the government’s COVID-19 rules were implemented for the public’s good.

“The DOH, as the leading agency overseeing the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Diseases (IATF/ED), takes this opportunity to reaffirm that all regulations and policies implemented during the pandemic were enacted with the utmost consideration for the common good,” he said.

READ: SC dodges key issues on legality of COVID-19 measures

Herbosa emphasized that the anti-coronavirus vaccination and implementation of multiple layers of protection, such as wearing face masks, enabled the Philippines to overcome the challenges during the pandemic.

“By building a resilient barrier of immunity, we have substantially bolstered our collective resilience against the virus, paving the way for a triumphant transition towards a post-pandemic era,” he said.

The Supreme Court dismissed the petitions filed separately in 2022 for violating the “doctrine of hierarchy of courts.” It said the petition raised points about which facts should have been established first in the lower courts.

Jose Montemayor Jr., Passengers and Riders Organization Inc., Nicanor Jesus P. Perlas III, and others lodged petitions against issuing the government’s inter-agency task force on COVID-19.

The petitioners argued that the coronavirus regulations issued by the task force clashed with their right to life and liberty without the due process of law.

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