MANILA: Five weeks into the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over the entire Luzon island, President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to impose a martial law-like lockdown amid reports of rampant violations of government guidelines to halt the spread of COVID-19.
Duterte, in a late night televised address to the nation Thursday, ordered the military and police to be on standby to strictly enforce ECQ rules, particularly the curfew and observance of physical distancing.
He reiterated his appeal to the public to observe strict discipline in practicing proper social distancing, exercise patience, and follow protective measures being implemented amid the extended Luzon-wide lockdown due to COVID-19.
“I’m just asking for your discipline,” said the president. “Because if you don’t want to follow, the military and the police will take over. I am ordering them now to be ready.”
The country has the second-highest number of deaths in the region, crossing 380 with more than 5000 reported infection cases.
People not following social distancing rules drew the ire of the president. There have been reports of huge crowds congregating in public markets in Metro Manila. Some have even organized cockfighting and boxing events despite the existing lockdown.
As he warned of using the military to enforce social distancing and stay-at-home rules, Duterte said it would be like martial law.
“I have to impose something on you for your own good and for the good of the country and people,” he said. “You choose.”
The president added that did not want to implement such harsh measures but would be forced to due to continued lack of public discipline.
Duterte likewise renewed his call to local government units (LGUs) to enforce the quarantine guidelines set by a national task force to help contain the spread of the virus.
In his previous address, Duterte also warned local officials that they would face arrest if they failed to strictly implement lockdown rules.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesperson for the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, in a virtual press briefing on Friday stressed that among the priorities of the government in this time is to prevent the spread of the virus.
“A key component of this effort is restricting the movement of the general populace. That’s the purpose of the ECQ,” Nograles said, adding: “The President himself has acknowledged that this has not been easy for all of us.”
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also warned of more arrests if the public continues to defy the quarantine guidelines. He said the Philippine National Police (PNP) would deploy more teams to apprehend ECQ violators.
PNP chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa also said that they would stand squarely in support of the president’s intention to decisively enforce an extended total lockdown, which would run until April 30.
“Some LGUs have in fact expressed approval for more radical proposals to impose tougher measures against violators of the ECQ,” Gamboa said in a statement.
“Maybe some violators feel they can get away with our enforcement of quarantine rules and local ordinances, but only because we are not under ideal conditions to detain all law offenders, except to complete the mandatory requirements of documentation and booking,” Gamboa said, adding: “Trust me, their brush with the law today will not go unpunished.”
The PNP said over 120,000 ECQ violators have been arrested, most of them from Metro Maila, since the first day of the lockdown. Some of the violators were charged before the courts while others were given a warning.
The latest data from the Department of Health showed the Philippines had 5,886 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Friday. The figure includes 477 recoveries and 387 deaths.
Meanwhile, Statement of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia on Friday announced he had quit “due partly to personal reasons and partly to differences in development philosophy with a few fellow Cabinet members.”