By Jeffrey Damicog Local government officials will face administrative and criminal charges for if they refuse to allow to return home any of the around 24,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were earlier placed under quarantine, warned Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday, May 27. Returning Overseas Filipino Workers queue up to chek in their baggage as they wait for their flight at NAIA Terminal 2 on Wednesday. The repatriated OFWs are scheduled to take their flights to their respective home province after undergoing the mandatory quarantine in Manila. (Photo by Jansen Romero / MANILA BULETIN) “The President has already given instructions to all LGUs (local government units) to accept the returning 24,000 OFWs to their hometowns,” reminded the Secretary. “If LGU officials continue to defy this directive, they may be held administratively and criminally liable for violations of the Bayanihan Act,” he explained. Meanwhile, Guevarra disclosed he has “already given instructions to the National Prosecution Service to give priority to the investigation of any and all cases related to the implementation of the Bayanihan Act and the various measures taken by the government pursuant thereto.” Last Monday, May 25, President Duterte told local officials to accept the around 24,000 OFWs who underwent quarantine in Metro Manila. Duterte made the declaration after learning that some local officials were blocking the return of Filipino repatriates despite having completed their testing and quarantine requirements. “Only the national government can impose restrictions on travel because it is the only agency that can declare that there’s an emergency of national interest and that power of declaration is not shared by anybody, it’s the national government,” Duterte said “I’m ordering you to accept them, open the gates of your territories and allow the people, allow the Filipino to travel wherever they want,” he directed.#