Task force boosts offensive vs persons who discriminate vs health workers

April 14, 2020

The Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield on Tuesday said they  strengthened their legal offensive against those who would  hurt or discriminate health workers who are in the frontline to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, JTF COVID Shield commander, said the legal team of the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted research on possible charges that could be filed against people who attack or bully  medical frontliners, and even those infected by the virus and their family.

“President Rodrigo Duterte, through our Chief PNP (Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa), has instructed us to protect and assist our health workers on the frontlines amid the reports of attacks and harrassments against them,” Eleazar said.

“Let this serve  as a warning to those heartless fools that we will not tolerate their misdeeds and we will make sure that they would pay if they dare to hurt or discriminate them,” he added.

Eleazar said all  harassment and discrimination such as physical assault, hurling stones on the houses and even any attempt to destroy any property of medical frontliners and COVID-19 patients would be covered by the Revised Penal Code.

It was earlier reported that two medical frontliners in Cebu and Cotabato were splashed with cleaning chemicals after they were suspected to be carrying the virus.

There were also reports some people would bully the family of COVID-19 patients and even those classified as Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) and Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs).

For those who would dare to humiliate and bully medical frontliners and COVID-19 patients online, Eleazar said several provisions of the Anti-Cyber law could be used in the filing charges.

For house, condo or apartment owners who would try to evict medical frontliners, they could be held liable for grave coercion.

“We urge our medical frontliners and the relatives of the COVID-19 patients to immediately report to us any form of attack, harassment and discrimination against them and we will assure you that we will immediately act on your complaints. Your complaints will be our priority,” Eleazar said.

He also appealed to the Local Government Units (LGUs) to pass an ordinance that would impose separate punishment for those who would attack and discriminate health workers and COVID-19 patients and their families.

He cited the LGUs of Manila and Cebu which promulgated their respective ordinances condemning and prohibiting discrimination against health workers.

Eleazar reminded the public that the electronic inquest of the Department of Justice (DoJ) is in place against those who would violate the law amid the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine. Ella Dionisio/DMS