IATF to go after those discriminating PUMs, PUIs, OFWs, frontliners

April 6, 2020

The Inter-Agency Task Force(IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases renewed on Monday its warning against those who would discriminate suspected patients of coronavirus disease, overseas Filipino workers, and the frontliners, saying authorities would go after them.

In the virtual press briefing, IATF spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles issued the warning after getting reports that residents threw stones at  a house in Iloilo where persons under monitoring have been staying.

The members of the family are considered PUMs after their father died, he said.

"We denounce in the strongest terms acts of discrimination inflicted upon healthcare workers, OFWs, COVID-19 cases, whether confirmed or suspected, recovered or undergoing treatment, as well as patients under investigation and persons under monitoring," Nograles said.

"The IATF is condemning this and we are warning those people doing such act (of discrimination) that they will be charged once caught," he stressed.

He also urged local government units to issue an executive order or ordinance penalizing people who would be engaged in discrimination.

"The government will act on cases of discrimination wherever and whenever these happen," Nograles said.

Nograles, who is also a lawyer by profession, noted that when he raised about the issue of discrimination, there were lawyers from the University of the Philippines College of Law and from all over who have volunteered their services.

"To my fellow lawyers, this is the time to give your services to the people in need," he said.

Nograles also reiterated the reminder to the LGUs that they should allow  repatriated OFWs to return to their homes after completing the 14-day facility-based quarantine.

"We also reiterate that LGUs are also strongly enjoined to allow the unhampered transit of OFWs that have been issued DOH (Department of Health) or LGU certificate of completion of 14-day facility-based quarantine, or those who may be required by the DOH or LGUs to undergo a mandatory 14-day home quarantine," he said.

The official said those OFWs would not be allowed by the DOH to go home if they could infect others.

"They just want to go home. Let them go home," he added. Celerina Monte/DMS