No Pampanga-wide curfew, say execs

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO –– Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda has not imposed a province-wide curfew in the province, an official clarified on Tuesday.

Mabalacat City’s implementation of a supposed curfew starting at 8 a.m. on Monday spurred talks or inquiries that a curfew had been imposed.

Mabalacat Mayor Crisostomo Garbo said he also did not impose a curfew in their area. “What I asked the police to do is strictly enforce the quarantine,” he said in a phone interview.

Lawyer Charlie Chua, provincial administrator, said the provincial legislative board, through Ordinance No. 755, “gave Pineda an authority to place the province or any portion thereof under curfew in case of a public health emergency.”

“It was passed on March 16 while we are still under general quarantine. On the evening of March 16, Malacañang placed Luzon under ‘Enhanced Community Quarantine.’ Under that memorandum of Malacanañang we are technically under a 24-hour curfew,” Chua explained.

The Palace’s memorandum “superseded all curfew orders,” Chua said.

So far, only Pampanga’s Angeles City and Porac town have ordinances declaring curfews in the area.

“Technically, we have a 24-hour curfew because we are prohibited from leaving our homes, except when buying essentials,” Colonel Jean Fajardo, provincial police director, said.

Edited by LZB