MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights on Saturday admonished national police for threatening to punish Filipinos caught violating health protocols with rattan sticks.
"[W]e wish to caution the government against unnecessary use of force and actions that may lead to humiliation and trauma. Violence, even in its slightest suggestion, is not the best way to address the pandemic," CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.
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This comes after Police Lt. Gen. Cesar Binag, Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield chief, during a virtual briefing aired over state-run PTV on Friday, said that the Philippine National Police would deploy personnel with rattan sticks to enforce social distancing protocols amid the holiday season.
"We have what is called the 'social distancing patrol' ordered by our chief PNP Gen. [Debold] Sinas. They will have a yantok (rattan stick), one meter length. It will be used to reprimand [violators], to measure, and to hit hardheaded individuals as well," Binag said in Filipino.
"We recognize that the unknown nature of the pandemic has pushed others, including the government, into devising different, novel ways in enforcing health safety protocols so as to prevent COVID-19 infection among the population. However, the [CHR] has repeatedly stressed the importance of respecting the human rights and dignity of all as we address this health crisis," De Guia said.
"We stress that the pandemic is not a peace and order issue, but a public health agenda," she added.
Sinas, who supposedly gave the unusual order, in the earliest days of the pandemic-induced lockdown, was the center of controversy after pictures of a mañanita celebration held in his honor circulated online, depicting him and other police officers violating quarantine protocols in grand fashion.
Rather than be swatted with a rattan stick, Sinas was rewarded with a promotion, as November saw him rise to the top of the PNP.
President Rodrigo Duterte has also said that he would clear Sinas of the two complaints filed against him over the incident. The president may only pardon after a formal conviction, however, and may not clear anyone of criminal charges before these are even established.
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PNP: No 'yantok' directive from Sinas
In an interview with Pilipino Star Ngayon on Friday, Police Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana, PNP spokesperson, denied that police had been directed to hurt quarantine violators.
"There was no such order from the [PNP chief.] In fact, the use of yantok for COVID-19 is to avoid touching and to maintain [physical] distancing [between] individuals," he said in a mix of Filipino and English.
"There is no intention to use [rattan sticks] to intimidate or to hit," Usana added in Filipino.
He further said that the Filipino people are already disciplined when it comes to avoiding COVID-19 in accordance with DOH rules.
Community quarantine in the Philippines — which has stretched on for 264 days now — has long been criticized by lawmakers and rights groups as militaristic and police-centered.
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Instead of relying on the use of unnecessary force, CHR said "government should continue to employ information dissemination to make the people understand the hazards of going out in the midst of a pandemic, as well as implement programmes guided by the sound advice of science and health professionals."
"Government must equally invest and reinforce protection of health care workers who bear the brunt of curing an ailing population due to this virus," it added.
— with reports from James Relativo