Not wearing face masks, violating distancing may result in 10-30 days imprisonent: Año

July 22, 2020

Violators who will be apprehended for not wearing masks and observing physical distancing may face 10 to 30 days imprisonment, according to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday.

During a pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) briefing, Año said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) with local government officials discussed  having uniform ordinances in implementing standard health protocols.

Included are imprisonment and fines for health protocol violators.

“There will be a uniform implementation of health standard protocol… (like) number of days in prison. If you violate not wearing a mask, we suggest 10 to 30 days. If you violate physical distancing,  also 10 to 30 days imprisonment,” he said.

“If you will be fined, between P1,000 to P5,000… that will be the uniform implementation… with this, we would like to really implement this standard,” he added.

Año said with this they can prevent further spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The DILG has yet to release their memorandum on this matter.

Meanwhile, Joint Task Force  COVID Shield commander, Police Lt. General Guillermo Eleazar said he instructed police commanders to work with local government units , especially barangay officials, in their areas of responsibility to enforce President Rodrigo Duterte’s order on mandatory wearing of face masks and observance of physical distancing.

Eleazar said the LGUs, through their Public Order and Safety personnel, and the barangays, through their barangay security officers  would play a key role in enforcing  minimum health safety protocols found to be effective in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

“LGUs down to the barangay level have been very helpful in crime prevention and in this time of COVID-19 pandemic. We in the JTF COVID Shield believe that their active participation is essential in our fight to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said.

Eleazar said the strategy is to tap barangay security officials to patrol alleys, streets and public places in their communities as a preventive measure for constituents who violate  minimum health safety protocols like unnecessary going out of homes, wearing of face masks outside residence and observing physical distancing.

On the part of the LGU’s Public Order and Safety Personnel, they could augment the barangay security officials in enforcing minimum health safety protocols in public areas such as public markets and other places of convergence.

Eleazar said the strict enforcement at the barangay level will support the move of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 for all LGUs to come up with a uniform ordinance on the observation of the minimum health safety protocols. Ella Dionisio/DMS