(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte warned all local government units to follow all directives from the national government regarding the coronavirus disease, and not do extreme actions that are beyond what Malacanang had ordered.
Duterte said this after the Palace learned of actions by some local government units which have barred essential cargoes from passing through their areas.
The President also warned the LGUs not to make the quarantine more difficult for the people by issuing orders that are not consistent with the national government’s directive.
He said that it is only the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases that is authorized to lay down the protocols amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
This is also what the national government orders all LGUs to follow.
-Duterte to LGUs: “Do not make this quarantine more difficult for the people”-
“Do not make this quarantine more difficult for the people than it really is. LGUs should take note of this. At this time, let us make ourselves clear that we are not separate from the Republic or from form each other,” he said.
“There is only one republic here, the Republic of the Philippines, and therefore you should abide by the directives of the national government, abide by the protocols observed during the time of the lockdown,” President Duterte told LGU officials in a video message issued early Friday, March 20, after a late Thursday night meeting with the IATF.
He said that the situation is not just a quarantine at this stage, but already considered a lockdown since the virus is also infecting the countryside.
Duterte called it an “emergency of national proportions.”
“Therefore it is the national government that should call the shots,” he said.
Duterte also warned local government officials who would not follow the IATF directives on the quarantine, but is instead issuing orders which are over and above what the national government has issued.
-Administrative, criminal cases for abusive LGU officials-
He said that administrative and criminal cases will be filed against these local officials, and has even directed the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file these cases against them.
The DILG and the DOJ will also continue to monitor the compliance of the LGUs to the directives of the IATF and the President.
“So when the IATF says do not restrict the flow of cargo of whatever type, then no LGU should say that they only allow food or essential goods to come in,” President Duterte said in his video message.
“You are already setting your standards and making this quarantine more difficult for all,” he said.
The President warned abusive LGUs that they would face sanctions. He reminded them that the only reason that why LGUs are able to issue orders for implementation during the quarantine period regarding what passes their areas is because the national government is allowint to do so. But this has limits, Duterte said.
“You know the only reason why you can impose these quarantine restrictions and impose it on everyone passing your area is because the national government is allowing you to do so. But if you go beyond the standards we have set, you are abusing your authority and you know that it can, this can lead to administrative cases, or even worse, unless you stop what you are doing,” he said.
“Do not try to overdo things. Or think that you can do what you want to do because that is not allowed. We move in one direction, in one unison precisely to place the contagion in control for the better health of the Filipinos,” he said.
LGUs who violate this are only sowing confusion, said the 74-year old Philippine leader after leading marathon meetings with the IATF from Thursday night, March 19, into the early hours of Friday, March 20.
He said that the world is already in confusion because of this contagion.
“We are not alone, but let our country lead the way in imposing a lockdown strict enough toeffectively kill COVID-19, liberal enough so that our people will not die of hunger, and orderly enough so that our county will not lean towards chaos during these difficult times,” President Duterte stressed.