By Jhon Aldrin Casinas
Six people, including a minor, were arrested in San Juan City on Thursday night for allegedly shouting unsavory words to authorities after they were reprimanded for violating the curfew.
San Juan City Police chief Col. Jaime Santos identified the suspects as Jennilyn Molina, 19; Fritz Hernandez Teodoro, 19; Joshua Ortega, 19; Michael Joe Udtohan, 22; Rhonielle Sebastian, 18; and a 17-year-old boy.
According to a report sent by Santos, patrolling barangay officials chanced upon the group having a drinking session in front of a house along V. Cruz in Brgy. Sta Lucia at around 9 p.m.
The barangay officials told them to leave the area and observe quarantine at their homes because the curfew enforced by the city government has already begun.
Instead of following the order, the suspects resisted and hurled curse words towards the authorities, the report read.
The barangay officials then placed them under arrest and were brought to the police station for the filing of charges.
Santos said charges for resistance and disobedience to a person in authority will be filed against the suspects.
He said they will be also sanctioned for violating the curfew imposed by the city government—which starts from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day—due to the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In an advisory, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora urged his constituents to stay home as the city currently implements the “enhanced community quarantine” imposed by the national government due to the disease.
The city mayor said police officers and barangay officials were tasked to ensure that residents were staying at their homes.
“Dapat nating ipatupad ang batas at direktibang ito para sa kaligtasan ng lahat,” Zamora said.
As of Friday afternoon, the city government announced that there are now 26 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in San Juan, with two confirmed deaths.