Duterte orders Cimatu to oversee Cebu situation amid rising COVID-19 cases

June 23, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered on Monday night Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to go to Cebu to oversee the situation amid the increasing number of coronavirus disease in the province, particularly Cebu City.

Cebu City is the only place in the country which remains under lockdown or the enhanced community quarantine while its nearby Talisay City is under modified ECQ.

"Here in Manila, the head body is the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases), then this office of Cimatu will be the adjunct body. So, he will exercise all the powers of that body upon notifying (retired) General (Defense Secretary Delfin) Lorenzana who heads the agency. All he has to do not for permission but just to advice Manila here that these things are being done, these things are not yet done, these things must be done," Duterte said during his televised message in the presence of some members of the IATF, including Cimatu.

He said he could not wait for communication, which still needs to pass through the bureaucracy about the real situation in Cebu.

"I must have a picture of how grave the situation is or the situations are," Duterte said.

The President said he will issue an executive order relating to his designation to Cimatu, whom he directed to "exercise the powers" of the IATF in Cebu.

He also ordered the Department of Health, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 to assist Cimatu.

Duterte said the Philippine National Police has to fully enforce the lockdown if needed in Cebu City.

He added that Cimatu has the "liberty to call upon" the military to help in the implementation of the ECQ if necessary.

"I’m just sad that Cebu has to undergo that kind of painful situation now," the Chief Executive said.

But he expressed optimism that this problem will be overcome.

Cimatu said he fully accepts the "challenge" given to him, just like when he was tasked to head the body to rehabilitate Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan, which the President likened to a "cesspool."

"It's an honor for me to save the lives of some people in Cebu in this time of pandemic," he said.

As of June 22, the DOH reported additional 630 confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 30,682. Of the additional cases, 257 came from Region 7 or Central Visayas where Cebu is located. Celerina Monte/DMS