DILG tells LGUs: Stop market window hours

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government has again reminded local government units (LGUs) not to impose limited window hours for residents to go to the markets and groceries that result in congestion in public places and violation of quarantine protocols.

The DILG released an advisory over the weekend that directed LGUs to stop imposing limited market periods for establishments.

This includes access and operations of wet markets, supermarkets, grocery stores and pharmacies. 

The DILG said the market hours create further congestion and pose risks on the implementation of social distancing as people are forced to go to the establishments at the same time. 

Instead, scheduling or clustering of barangays on who may be allowed to go out is encouraged to implement the enhanced community quarantine to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

LGUs are also encouraged to implement innovative measures to bring goods closer to communities, including mobile markets in partnership with local producers and retailers.

Other business arrangements, such as online marketing and delivery of goods, and community markets, were also encouraged by the department. 

The advisory was issued on April 18 but was released to the media yesterday. 

Meanwhile, the department also discouraged LGUs from implementing disinfection spraying drives and using misting chambers on individuals. 

The DILG cited findings from the World Health Organization that these measures may cause more harm than good.

Only individuals wearing full personal protective equipment may be subject to misting or spraying. 

PNP warning

The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday warned the public it will carry out “massive arrest” as the number of apprehended violators of the enhanced community quarantine has increased to 133,000 with over 3,000 erring residents caught over the weekend.

PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa ordered Metro Manila police chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas to look for additional detention facilities and reserve an area at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City for the violators of the quarantine to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the new virus that causes COVID-19.

Police officials are coordinating with their counterparts from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for stricter implementation of quarantine measures.

Gamboa said they are done with just warning first-time offenders and would resort to apprehending violators if the trend will not change.

Data from the PNP showed that from March 17 to April 19, a total of 133,499 persons were apprehended for quarantine and curfew violations, with 3,322 accosted over the weekend.

However, only 30,877 were charged for being repeat offenders while 5,854 were fined while 96,768 were only warned and released.

A majority of the violators are in Luzon with 82,473 followed by 26,509 in Mindanao and 24,517 in the Visayas.

According to Gamboa, they have pinpointed some areas in Metro Manila where cases of quarantine violations are rampant.  

He also tagged Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) as the two of the most troublesome regions.

President Duterte last March 17 placed the entire island of Luzon under quarantine to contain

Several local government units in the Visayas and Mindanao with coronavirus cases have also implemented similar measures.

Violators could face charges for violation of  Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, RA 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concern Act and the Revised Penal Code.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III expressed support for Duterte’s plan to put soldiers on the streets to enforce the quarantine that the latter lamented was repeatedly being violated.

“If the use of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philipines) is necessary to keep people off the streets then so be it. It does not necessarily mean there is martial law unless it is declared. Keeping us safe is primordial,” Sotto said.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian saw nothing wrong with soldiers augmenting policemen and barangay watchmen to enforce the quarantine as long as they are under the control of the concerned LGUs.

Gatchalian said violators tend to ignore warnings of local watchmen but fear uniformed personnel.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan said instead of deploying soldiers to enforce the quarantine, the government must speed up distribution of the emergency cash assistance to poor families and the informal sector to minimize violations of the lockdown.

He said based on data Malacañang provided to Congress last week, only 25 percent of the beneficiaries received the assistance. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Paolo Romero

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