Muntinlupa police nab 1,326 face mask ordinance violators
The Muntinlupa police apprehended on Friday 1,326 persons, mostly minors, for violating the city ordinance on the mandatory wearing of face masks outside residence.
Of the total violators, 1,281, or 97 percent, were minors and only 45, or 3 percent, were adults. They were all caught without detention as mandated by City Ordinance 2020-109.
The police’s move came after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police Wednesday to arrest people who are caught not wearing face masks properly.
The 1,281 minors who were caught by the police were given warning.
Under the ordinance, if the violator is a minor, a stern warning is imposed for the first offense, withdrawal of scholarship grant from the local government or P300 fine for non-grantee for the second offense, and P500 for third and subsequent offenses. The fines will be imposed on their parents or guardians.
On the other hand, the 45 adults were fined P300 each for the first offense. If they are caught again, they will face a P500 fine for the second offense and P1,000 for the third and subsequent offenses.
The ordinance does not impose any jail time for violators.
An individual inside a private enclosed vehicle is exempted from wearing a face mask but it is mandatory when there are at least two persons in the vehicle.
The ordinance, approved in July last year, requires all persons in Muntinlupa “to wear face masks at all times outside of their residences, at the workplace, when entering government buildings and offices, and while in public places.”
It defines face mask as any “protective clothing or material used to cover the nose, mouth and chin with specifications and proper use as recommended by the Department of Health (DOH), including, but not limited to, surgical masks, medical masks, N95 masks, ear loop masks, indigenous, reusable and do-it-yourself masks.”
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi has urged the public to wear face masks and face shields, and observe physical distancing when outside their residence.
In addition, the Muntinlupa police caught 29 adults and one minor for violating the city’s curfew from 10 p.m. of May 7 to 4 a.m. of May 8. Of the total, 14 adults were fined and 15 adults and one minor were given a warning.