Condo owners must follow ECQ rules -- Año
Published Apr 21, 2020 12:00 am
By Chito Chavez
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday stressed that condominium owners are mandated to follow the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) protocols in the midst of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-2019) scare.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año (Photo from Philippine Information Agency / MANILA BULLETIN)
As the country is in an emergency situation, Año reminded them that they are not in a position to set their own rules and should respect authorities and strictly follow the ECQ guidelines.
"The condo owners cannot make their own rules. We are under public health emergency, under the state of calamity... Iisa lang 'yung Republika ng Pilipinas (there is only one Republic of the Philippines) so they should respect the lawmen," Año said in an interview on ANC.
Insisting that the law applies to all, Año said the law applies equally to all regardless of status, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, race, financial state and gender.
“We have to respect and we have to follow very strictly the rules, the wearing of mask and the social distancing. “Yun lang naman 'yung purpose bakit pumunta 'yung ating kapulisan diyan (that is the only purpose why the police officers went there),’’ he added.
Año was referring to the incident where four cops went to the poolside of a high-end private condominium on Sunday in Taguig City and requested the people to return to their units for violating ECQ regulations.
The incident escalated into a controversy when a foreigner and the uniformed men engaged in a shouting match.
According to the management of Pacific Plaza Towers, it would take legal action against what the cops did because it had sowed fear among the residents, including children.
"Wala namang gun-toting doon. In fact nagpaimbestiga si General Eleazar kung ano talaga 'yung tunay na nangyari doon. Nagkaroon ng altercation with I think the property manager but you know it could have been avoided,’’ Año said.
(There was no gun-toting incident. In fact General Eleazar is investigating what really transpired during the incident. There was an altercation with I think the property manager but you know it could have been avoided).
However, Año vowed to deal with the cops accordingly after admitting that it was improper for them to shout at the residents as seen in the video.
Año insisted that the guidelines which the owners of condominiums, subdivisions and other residential areas wish to implement must always be in line with the directives of the national government.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año (Photo from Philippine Information Agency / MANILA BULLETIN)
As the country is in an emergency situation, Año reminded them that they are not in a position to set their own rules and should respect authorities and strictly follow the ECQ guidelines.
"The condo owners cannot make their own rules. We are under public health emergency, under the state of calamity... Iisa lang 'yung Republika ng Pilipinas (there is only one Republic of the Philippines) so they should respect the lawmen," Año said in an interview on ANC.
Insisting that the law applies to all, Año said the law applies equally to all regardless of status, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, race, financial state and gender.
“We have to respect and we have to follow very strictly the rules, the wearing of mask and the social distancing. “Yun lang naman 'yung purpose bakit pumunta 'yung ating kapulisan diyan (that is the only purpose why the police officers went there),’’ he added.
Año was referring to the incident where four cops went to the poolside of a high-end private condominium on Sunday in Taguig City and requested the people to return to their units for violating ECQ regulations.
The incident escalated into a controversy when a foreigner and the uniformed men engaged in a shouting match.
According to the management of Pacific Plaza Towers, it would take legal action against what the cops did because it had sowed fear among the residents, including children.
"Wala namang gun-toting doon. In fact nagpaimbestiga si General Eleazar kung ano talaga 'yung tunay na nangyari doon. Nagkaroon ng altercation with I think the property manager but you know it could have been avoided,’’ Año said.
(There was no gun-toting incident. In fact General Eleazar is investigating what really transpired during the incident. There was an altercation with I think the property manager but you know it could have been avoided).
However, Año vowed to deal with the cops accordingly after admitting that it was improper for them to shout at the residents as seen in the video.
Año insisted that the guidelines which the owners of condominiums, subdivisions and other residential areas wish to implement must always be in line with the directives of the national government.