Padlocked for their safety?
Two stranded returning minors aged 12 and 14 were allegedly padlocked inside a quarantine facility in Palawan.
Barangay Captain Andrew Goldfardo of Barangay Tinitian in Roxas, Palawan has been accused of padlocking two minors inside a quarantine facility.
But he claimed that they were prodded to padlock the two to ensure their safety.
“It’s true we padlocked them as a security measure. We don’t want anything bad to happen to them at night so we have to ensure their safety,” the village chief explained.
The head of the Health Education and Promotion Unit of the Department of Health (DOH) in Mimaropa, Romalyn Racho, stated in an interview with Inquirer.net, that the village chief is being summoned to explain his action.
“We have talked to the authorities in Roxas. They issued a summon to the barangay captain. We will await further developments from the local government,” Racho noted.
The minors were locally stranded individuals (LSI) who arrived in Palawan from Cebu alongside their relatives last June 14, were endorsed to a quarantine facility in Roxas.
According to the village chief, the parents of the minors were informed before their children were placed on padlocked.
He added that literal lockdown in the quarantine facility is necessary due to frequent power interruptions in the area.
“We advised the parents of the minors upon their arrival. We don’t have electric power all night. Once we turn off the portable generator, the area will be abandoned,” said the barangay chairman.
“What if someone comes in and kills them? We don’t want that to happen,” he added.
In the later part of his statement, he challenged the DILG, police, or DSWD to check if there is maltreatment among the minors padlocked inside the quarantine facility.
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