"No exception."
President Duterte has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to arrest individuals who are supposedly selling coronavirus disease (COVID-19) drugs and essential medicine in the black market.
Duterte made the statement after Food and Drug Administrator (FDA) officer-in-charge Oscar Gutierrez revealed that drugs being used to treat COVID-19 patients like remdesivir are being sold in the black market, resulting in overpricing.
In his pre-recorded public address aired late Thursday, Jan. 6, the President said all those who are doing the illegal act should be arrested.
"Hulihin talaga ninyo at ipasok ninyo sa selda (Arrest and detain them). Again, I am ordering the police to arrest black marketeers at ang --- dalhin sa istasyon ipasok muna diyan sa selda (bring them to the station and lock them up)," he said.
"I am putting on notice the entire PNP the station commanders, any --- any transaction of black marketing of these essential medicines should be arrested. Walang (No) exception," he added.
President Duterte insisted that the police should arrest black market sellers and detain them for investigation, believing they are committing a "serious offense".
"I think that’s a serious offense, you can detain them for 34 hours pero ilagay muna sa detention para makatikim rin sila ng (detain them first so they'll know what it feels) --- or maybe if there’s a fiscal, they can have a summary and file the case," he said.
"I would request the Department of Justice just to assign fiscals so that they can conduct the summary investigation... There’s an inquest immediately. Again, no exception," he added.