PHILSTAR

THE president’s order to restrain unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals if they insist on leaving their homes is applicable regardless of the alert level, according to the Presidential Palace on Friday.

“For the public’s safety, health and well-being, the barangay captains, wherever they may be, the president has a directive for them to plead to our residents, barangays, that the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, should not go out, for now, to stop the spread of this virus and protect them,” Acting Presidential Spokesman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said at a televised news briefing.

When asked if this directive will be in effect regardless of the alert level in an area, Mr. Nograles, in a mix of English and Filipino, said that “it appears, last night, in the declarations, pronouncements, and directives of the president, it appears that (it is) regardless and that it is nationwide.”

During a pre-recorded briefing on Thursday evening, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said that despite lawyers’ advice that unvaccinated cannot be restrained, it is his position that it can be done as the Philippines is under a national emergency.

“I’m now giving orders to the barangay captain to look for those persons who are not vaccinated and… request them or order them, if you may, to stay put,” he said, as provided in the transcript sent by his office. “If he refuses, he goes out of the house and goes around in the community or wherever, he can be restrained.”

If the restrained individual continues to resist, the barangay captain “is empowered now to arrest the recalcitrant persons,” the president added. The barangay captain will also have the authority to call on civilians to assist in this act, and they will then become agents of a person in authority.

Mr. Duterte said he was not afraid of people filing cases against him due to this decision.

“Well, they can file cases. I’d be happy to answer. I’ve already said that I have cases in the ICC (International Criminal Court), why not just add to that, so that I can answer them all in one go when the time comes,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“Ultimately I am responsible for the safety and well-being of every Filipino and that is why my orders are to restrain them,” the president added.

As of Friday, there are 51.6 million fully vaccinated individuals in the Philippines, while 2.8 million have received a top-up booster shot.

MORE AREAS UNDER ALERT LEVEL 3

During the same briefing, the Palace announced that 14 more areas will soon be under Alert Level 3 amid a fresh surge of coronavirus cases in the country.

Mr. Nograles said during a recorded briefing that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases agreed to heighten the alert level in the following areas beginning Sunday:

  • Dagupan City
  • City of Santiago
  • Cagayan province
  • Olongapo City
  • Angeles City
  • Bataan
  • Pampanga
  • Zambales
  • Naga City
  • Iloilo City
  • Lapu-Lapu City
  • Batangas
  • Lucena City
  • Baguio City

The whole of the National Capital Region, specifically Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna, are currently under Alert Level 3. This will remain so until Jan. 15.

The raised alert level limits indoor capacity to 30% and outdoor venue capacity to 50%, while government agencies and instrumentalities may have 60% on-site capacity.

Also on late Thursday, Mr. Duterte ordered the police to arrest and detain those selling COVID-19 drugs and essential medicines on the black market. “Arrest them and detain them. I am ordering the police to arrest black marketeers.” — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

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