Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra: “Hindi naman automatic ‘yun. Kailangan magpasa ng ordinansa yung local government unit concerned.”
On Friday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that President Rodrigo Duterte‘s order to restrain unvaccinated individuals was “not automatic”.
Guevarra said that unvaccinated individuals who left their homes without a valid reason under the ordinances of their local government units (LGUs) will only be arrested if they resist or fight with persons in authority implementing the law.
He said in an interview on “The Mangahas Interviews” that the President’s order for barangay officers to restrain the unvaccinated individuals needed ordinances passed by the local authorities to be implemented.
“Hindi naman automatic ‘yun Kailangan magpasa ng ordinansa yung local government unit concerned. Hindi naman ‘yun on the mere statement of the President,” Guevarra told journalist Malou Mangahas. “The President is telling the local governments mag enact kayo ng local ordinances along this line further restricting ‘yung movement ng unvaccinated.“
READ ALSO: Malacañang Says Duterte Order vs Unvaxxed Applicable Nationwide Regardless Of Alert Level
Guevarra’s response came after Cabinet Secretary and acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said during the Presidential press briefing Friday that the President’s order to arrest unvaccinated individuals who refused to stay home amidst the pandemic covered the entire country regardless of alert level.
According to Nograles, the government saw that most of those severely and critically affected by COVID-19 were unvaccinated people and so the policy on cracking down on unvaccinated individuals was applicable nationwide.
On the arrest of the unvaxxed individuals violating the stay-at-home directive, Guevarra said the President’s order was for them to be brought back to their residences.
“Hindi naman aarestuhin dahil lang lumabas. Pagka siya pumalag, pagka siya lumaban sa person in authority,” Guevarra said.
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