By NG Seruela
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to closely monitor local government units (LGUs) violating health protocols.
In his weekly public address on Wednesday (April 28), the President directed DILG Secretary Eduardo Año to “hold the mayors responsible” for mass gatherings in their respective areas.
“It is a violation of the law, and if you do not enforce the law, there is a dereliction of duty which is punishable under the Revised Penal Code. So the DILG can proceed against you for not doing your duty as mayor or as a barangay captain, but not so much about the mayor,” he said.
President Duterte warned local government officials that they will be “administratively and criminally” charged if it is proven that a mass gathering took place in their area.
He expressed his disappointment at seeing people “violating the law” by not following health protocols outside of their homes.
“And every time I see people violating the law, I would just say to whoever is seated next to me, sabihin ko, ‘Tignan mo ito, tomorrow there will be a spike again.’ And true enough. And it will never be an ending story until all Filipinos are vaccinated,” he said.
He cautioned that “there will always be a rise, and maybe exponential, ang takbo ng COVID sa Pilipinas ‘pag hindi kayo sumunod ng batas.”
Duterte emphasized that the current situation of the country is “not only a medical issue” but a matter of “national interest and maybe the survival of the Filipinos.” -jlo
