MANILA, Philippines — Two peasant groups slammed the planned implementation of 'Oplan Kalinga' — a program to transfer coronavirus patients from their homes — calling it "another militarist measure" in a time when programs such as free mass testing are needed.
In separate statements, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and the National Federation of Peasant Women (Amihan) saidn that the plan of going house-to-house to fetch COVID-19 patients undergoing home quarantine as previously recommended by government could lead to abuse by the police, cases of which have been reported.
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The Department of the Interior and Local Government on Thursday said reports that this will be done through "police-type" operations "are fake news and is part of the disinformation campaign by unscrupulous individuals."
"Oplan", short for operational plan, is a term often used for police operations although other government agencies also use the term.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año stressed Thursday that the program "is plainly to ensure that COVID-19 patients will be attended to and that they will not spread the virus to their families and the community."
The reports on the plan were from a media briefing given by officials, including Año.
READ: Public told to report neighbors with COVID-19 as cops prepare to go house-to-house
Government officials have since highlighted that "Oplan Kalinga" will be led by health workers and local government personnel after walking back their own statements. However, it is still unclear whether or not it will include house-to-house operations.
Comparisons with 'Tokhang'
"Stop giving the police too much undue power. It is easy for the police to abuse their authority. Our grim experience with Oplan Tokhang tells us that this approach will result in more harm and damage than solution to the rising COVID-19 cases," Danilo Ramos, chairperson of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, said in a statement.
"Their military mindset is getting in the way of more effective and pro-people solutions to the health crisis...We're against a virus but we're facing it with armed and abusive police. What are they going to do with patients? Will they scare them and shoot them just like they did to the victims of Oplan Tokhang?"
'Nanlaban' is a narrative that police have often used to explain the thousands of deaths in the government's campaign against illegal drugs. It was also used during the enhanced community quarantine when retired soldier Winston Ragos was shot, although police officers involved in the shooting are now facing criminal charges over the killing of the former soldier.
For her part, Zenaida Soriano, Amihan national chairperson, said: “This regime really never learns."
"They deployed countless cops over the lockdown, so many checkpoints, they even brought tanks, fully-armed SWAT, one person was killed for supposedly being a violator of a stay-at-home order, but they were useless in stopping the spread of the pandemic,” she said.
"Now, here we go again, just so police presence makes sense and has value, they're made to handle suspected patients. Does this mean that if their targets 'fight back,' they will shoot them?" she added.
PNP: This is for public health, safety
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the government's quarantine enforcement arm, has defended the program, saying the PNP was implementing it for the sake of public health and would only be present in a supporting role to provide "assistance for any eventuality and especially in escorting the patients to the isolation facilities."
“This is not anti-poor as some people would say. This is in fact pro-poor because we would be prioritizing COVID-19 patients who have no means to isolate themselves inside their houses because of the reality that they do not have a room to spare for self-quarantine,” he said in a statement.
"This is pro-poor because less fortunate COVID patients will be given the opportunity to stay in an ideal isolation facilities where all their basic needs will be provided by the government."
Health Secretary Francisco Duque—who earlier claimed that the Philippines had flattened its coronavirus curve since April despite seeing a renewed surge in cases—also explained in an interview with CNN Philippines that: "If a patient is in his home without a separate room and bathroom, it is best to move to treatment and monitoring facilities."
In a text message sent to reporters on Wednesday, Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said: "Suppression of a crime is different from suppression of disease. If a crime is to be suppressed, the involvement of police officers is called for. If disease transmission is what ought to be suppressed, medical professionals should take the lead."
"As to warrantless arrests for violation of RA 11332, that is only justified in cases of en flagrante delicto, or in cases of hot pursuit, or in the case of escaped prisoners," he added.
At a separate press briefing Wednesday, Palace spokesperson Harry Roque only further muddled the narrative, saying: "Let me make it clear: There will be no house-to-house search for COVID positive patients. They will have to be reported by the persons themselves, other members of the household, or their barangay officials."