Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Monday, May 10 said the police should heed newly-appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar’s order not to put mask violators in jail.
Recto said any rush to arrest persons for not wearing face mask without setting up “holding and booking” infrastructure would only worsen jail congestion and further clog court dockets.
He stressed that if the arrest is made to protect the community and the individual’s health, the purpose would only be defeated if violators are thrown into a jail where physical distancing is impossible to observe.
“Where’s the logic in catching someone for improperly wearing a mask when he would later catch the virus from his maskless cellmates?” Recto pointed out.
The senator said rules on mask wearing should be the subject of a massive information and education campaign.
“And among the priority audience should be the policemen and those tasked to implement the rule, like barangay tanods. With clear rules, not only confusion is avoided but abuse as well,” he stressed.
Recto said Eleazar’s order prohibiting cops from maltreating and abusing quarantine violators and telling them to bring them to a place where they can settle their penalties for violating local ordinances is logical.
“Siguro kung naibaba lang ang mask sa baba, sitahin na lang. Doon sa mga pasaway (They can just scold those who forgot to bring up their mask from their chin. But for those are stubborn) a fine or community service will do,” he stressed.
It would also be best to just give quarantine violators with a penalty ticket and let the offender go with the warning that the fine must be settled soon.
“Huwag din masyadong mataas ang fine (the cost of the fine should not be high). A high fine is a form of abuse,” he explained.
“A good PR move by the PNP is to give patrolling officers masks for distribution,” Recto emphasized.
Eleazar, in a press conference, said he has ordered policemen to give free face masks to those who would be arrested for not wearing any as the government intensifies its campaign to run after those who refuse to take the COVID-19 threat seriously.
The new PNP chief also warned policemen to refrain from punishing or hurting violators who would be arrested. He said those who would be caught would not be jailed but would be booked and investigated.
“Violators can be held for a maximum of 12 hours while undergoing investigation and booking procedure, during such time, we will provide them face masks to protect our own investigators, and their fellow violators,” Eleazar said.