Senators are divided over the house-to-house measure for the contact tracing of COVID-19 positive patients. Some senators believe the measure is against the Bill of Rights if it will be implemented and are reminded “of operation Tokhang.”
“I urge a review of this system proposed by Sec. Aῆo because it infringes on the right of the people under our Bill of Rights to be secured in their houses and against unreasonable searches and seizures,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon pointed out. Drilon added that tracking system and technology must be given priority instead of going house-to-house.
On the other hand, Senator Joel Villanueva said it can be conducted by health workers and not uniformed personnel with observance of rules to prevent violations.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III observed “it appears that they are dead serious in truncating the spread of the virus. As long as it is within due bounds then I don’t see a problem.”
Senator Ronald Dela Rosa suggested the PNP can lessen its participation if the DOH and LGUS “have enough manpower” for the measure. “It will be good for the PNP to avoid being accused again of militarizing the approach to a health issue despite the fact that PNP is a non- military organization. Its similarity with Tokhang is that it is trying to address problems, drug and COVID-19, both of which have reached pandemic proportions.”
Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri is seeking explanation over the recent statement of DOH Secretary Duque on curve flattening.
“Is it the fact that the cases in April were at an average of two hundred a day as compared to the daily average of over a thousand cases today? Or is it the fact that we will soon be number one in Southeast Asia in terms COVID cases?” Zubiri questioned.
“The only thing that is flat are the backs of all the poor patients in fully occupied COVID wards all around Metro Manila fighting for their lives! Huwag magbulag-bulagan (Stop acting blind) and act to stop the surge instead of imagining it,” he added.
– Report from Eunice Samonte
