The Iloilo City’s compliance team will still follow the city ordinance in apprehending violators who do not wear or improperly wear their facemasks.
Executive assistant Jose “Boyet” Rico, who also head the city’ compliance team, said their team will continue their job but they will still follow the city’s “Facemask Ordinance.”
“We are on the stand that we should follow the city ordinance kay ti wala pa man kita nakita nga layi nga non-wearing of facemask is a criminal offense. So there is no basis for the arrest,” said Rico.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Philippine National Police to arrest people who are not wearing facemask or properly wearing it in public spaces.
For Rico, there is no document or any executive order yet regarding the President’s verbal proclamation.
“It is only verbal proclamation from the President. Although the IATF also made such statement but IATF is not Congress. Kami ya… compliance team will still respect the right of the persons. Indi sila ya criminal,” he added.
He said that they have initial talk during the City COVID Team meeting yesterday at the city hall with Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Col. Uldarico Garbanzos if indeed there is legal basis.
Nevertheless, he added that the lawyers of the city government and the ICPO will still be meeting in order to compromise “kon ano gid ang nagakadapat.”
Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said that it will reconcile Duterte’s arrest order with the ordinances passed by the local government units (LGUs) against those who violate the quarantine rules, particularly those who are not wearing facemasks in public.
The agency will convene with the LGUs and the Philippine National Police to ensure the proper implementation of Duterte’s latest directive, according to DILG undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.
Facemask ordinance violators in Iloilo City are either fined or should render community service.
Specifically, City Regulation Ordinance (RO) No. 2020-085, which amended the penalties of RO No. 2020-061, mandates the wearing of facemasks or face covering in public during pandemic, and increases fine and includes community service of eight hours for three consecutive days.
Non-wearing of face shields or eye protector has corresponding penalties, same with non-wearing of facemask: P1,000 for the first offense; P2,000 for the second offense, and P3,000 for the third and succeeding offense and/or community service of eight hours a day for three days for first offense; eight hours a day for five days for second offense; and eight hours a day for seven days for third and succeeding offense. (Glenda Tayona)/WDJ