INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday slapped show-cause orders on four barangay officials in Quezon City and Caloocan City for organizing mass gatherings in their areas in violation of guidelines of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
One of the officials is Leny Leticia Glivano, chairman of Barangay Libis in Quezon City, who reportedly organized on April 9 a parade in her jurisdiction to laud frontline workers for their sacrifices in the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Videos of the parade went viral online.
Año said the parade encouraged people to go out of their houses and gather in the streets, in violation of the strict physical distancing rule.
Año is a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases that sets the guidelines for preventing the further spread of COVID-19.
The show-cause order admonished Glivano for disregarding guidelines on the management of the infectious disease. She was given 72 hours from Tuesday to explain why she should not be charged administratively and criminally.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has admonished Glivano and given her until Saturday to explain her conduct.
Also given show-cause orders by Año were Brix John Reyes, chairman of Barangay 129 in Caloocan City and barangay councilors Romualdo Reyes and John Cris Domingo who were allegedly behind the illegal cockfight held at the Manila North Cemetery on Good Friday, April 10.
The three were also given 72 hours to explain their conduct, Interior Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said, adding the DILG is coordinating with the NBI for the filing of criminal charges against the officials.
Citing a memorandum circular, Malaya said: “All LGUs are charged with the promotion of health and safety within their jurisdictions. As such, they are to take the lead in the prevention and control of the spread of Covid-19 at the local level.”
The three Caloocan barangay officials surrendered on Monday to City Mayor Oscar Malapitan, who in turn turned them over to the police. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno had called Malapitan seeking his assistance for the arrest of the erring officials.
ORDINANCES
Año said local government units should pass ordinances imposing sanctions, including fines, on persons caught violating ECQ guidelines, particularly the home quarantine and social distancing rules.
He said there are people who follow the rules only when policemen are around, and violators would not learn a lesson unless they are not detained or fined.
Under the IATF-EID guidelines, Año said there is an enhanced lockdown and a 24-hour curfew in the entire Luzon and only exempted persons can go out of their homes for essential missions.
From March 17 to April 13, a total of 111,169 violators have been accosted in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. Of the figure, 79,399 were merely warned, 5,046 were fined, and 26,724 were arrested.
Meanwhile, Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte requested additional manpower from the Armed Forces for the implementation of ECQ in the city. As of Monday night, there are 942 COVID-19 cases in the city with 61 deaths.
“With additional uniformed personnel, the public will be deterred from going out, and the city’s enforcement of home quarantine and social distancing will be greatly strengthened,” said Belmonte.
Assistant city administrator for operations Alberto Kimpo said the QC government needs additional manpower specifically to implement in barangays with high number of COVID-19 cases and ensure social distancing in public markets.
“Additional manpower assistance is needed to implement and maintain the general rules of quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Kimpo.
