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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte's 'decisiveness' needed to address COVID-19 -- Sotto

Duterte's 'decisiveness' needed to address COVID-19 -- Sotto

Published Mar 27, 2021 08:16 pm

For Senate President Vicente Sotto III, a "decisive" leader with a "strong-arm rule" is what the Philippines needs to finally break free from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sen. Vicente Sotto III (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)

Sotto on Saturday, March 27, said such qualities are necessary to ensure compliance in health protocols and in effect control the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

"Pagka 'yong ganitong klaseng pandemic, kailangan natin ng decisiveness, a strong arm rule na pagka may sinabing dapat gawin ang gobyerno ay dapat ang mga kababayan natin (When it comes to a pandemic like this, we need decisiveness, a strong-arm rule, that when the government says a policy should be followed, then our country should comply)," he said in the Laging Handa briefing, clarifying his statement in a previous interview.

"Perhaps they considered President Duterte na isa sa mga ganon, sapagkat yon 'yong nangyayari sa Singapore, sa Taiwan, sa Vietnam, kung anong sabihin ng gobyerno, sumusunod sila (as a one of those leaders, because that is what happening in Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam, that whatever their government says, they follow)," he added, agreeing that the President is also "very decisive".

The Senate chief earlier attributed the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines to a "combination" of the shortcomings of authorities handling the pandemic, and the public's disregard of health protocols.

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/22/sotto-chides-complaining-public-stop-grumbling-about-hunger-youre-at-war/

Sotto, however, said on Saturday that he also cannot blame Filipinos for complaining and refusing to comply with policies since they also see public officials violating the rules.

"Kaya umaangal 'yong mga kababayan natin. 'Pag sinabi nating 'Ito, parang ano ito, eh, kailangan sumunod tayo, ganito, ganito, ganyan, konting tiis', tapos makikita nila mga government officials ang nagba-violate ng health protocols (That's why our people are complaining. We tell them. 'We have to follow this and that, that we have to endure a little', and then they see that government officials are the ones violating the health protocols)," he said.

"Kailangan din natin si President Duterte para pasunurin 'yong government officials natin (That's why we need President Duterte to also compel government officials to follow)," Sotto said.

In the briefing, Sotto explained that his support of Senator Imee Marcos' call for the abolition of the Interagency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease was only due to his "exasperation" on the country's situation.

He also said the appeal was just to prod the IATF to reconsider its composition, to include more health experts "who can understand medicine".

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