Duterte to LGUs: Stand down, follow guidelines

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has appealed to the nation to follow the guidelines laid down by the national government for addressing the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and for local government units to be united in the implementation of measures to contain the disease, including restricting the movement of people as part of an enhanced community quarantine.

The entire Luzon is now in “the stage of a lockdown,” meaning everyone should stay home and avoid unnecessary travel outside their residences, Duterte said after a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases at Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang late Thursday evening.

“At this time I do not think it is just a quarantine… I think that we are already in the stage of a lockdown simply because the contagion continues to take its toll in the countryside,” he said.

Confusion initially marred the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine, which Duterte first imposed on the National Capital Region (NCR) and later on the entire Luzon as cases of COVID-19 infection rise.

“We are in a critical time. We have resorted to this extreme measure of an enhanced quarantine for Luzon, because the magnitude of the threat that we are facing calls for it,” the President said in a televised message.

“By its nature, it severely restricts the freedom of movement of our countrymen, and thus deprives many people of the ability of earning a living for the coming weeks,” Duterte added.

The President has sought cooperation and understanding from the local officials amid reports that some LGUs have insisted on implementing their own measures to address problems in their areas of jurisdiction.

“There is only one republic here, the Republic of the Philippines. And therefore, you should abide by the directives of the national government for the good of the country and the protocols observed during the time of the lockdown,” he said.

“In the coming days, we will need the help of the LGUs more and more. So I want to make this clear early on. Let us work together to implement this quarantine, and it should all begin with the LGUs making sure that your actions are consistent with the national directives. To do otherwise would sow confusion,” Duterte said.

“All over the world, there is confusion and chaos already because of these lockdowns. We are not the only ones into it. All countries of the world, as a matter of fact, are doing it. And that is why it adds more trouble than what is already there that we can handle,” he added.

“We are not alone. But let our country lead the way in imposing a lockdown (that)is strict enough to effectively kill COVID-19, liberal enough so that our people will not die of hunger and orderly enough so that our country will not be driven towards chaos during this difficult time,” the President added.

“I am ordering all LGUs that are doing this to stand down, and to abide by the directives of the IATF, the task force, not mine but the task force, and those issued by the Office of the President. And to make sure that what the IATF says should be closed, is closed, and those that should be open, stays open,” Duterte said.

“You know, the only reason why you can impose these quarantine restrictions and impose it on everyone passing [through] your areas, is because the national government is allowing you to do so,” he said. “But if you go beyond the standards that we have set, you are abusing your authority, and you know that it can lead to – administrative cases or even worse, unless you stop what you are doing and [cooperate] fully. Criminal cases cannot be far behind,” the President added.

At the same time, Duterte ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure that all local officials will toe the line.

“I am therefore directing the DILG and DOJ (Department of Justice) to closely monitor the compliance of LGUs with the directives of the office and to file the necessary cases against wayward officials,” he said.

His spokesman Salvador Panelo said the national government will not tolerate disobedience. “Errant local officials will face administrative sanctions and criminal prosecution. The LGUs’ actions must be in sync and in unison with the national government’s directives in this state of national health emergency and calamity,” Panelo said.

The DILG, through spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, also warned local chief executives found overstepping IATF guidelines.

“Some of the LGUs have gone beyond like closing borders that have led to supply chain problems. Sa cargo, it must be allowed unhampered across boundaries, and it is being stopped upon the instruction of the mayor,” he said in a phone interview.

Malaya denied that the President’s address was in response to Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto’s initial insistence on using public tricycles, adding that it was a “small issue not raised to the President.”

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año made clear that mass public transportation, even tricycles, would not be allowed during the lockdown.

However, he cleared the use of e-tricycles by the City of Manila, saying that these were tapped by the LGUs directly to transport frontline workers.   – With Romina Cabrera