Mindanao Times

Passes suspended

• Sara tells brgys to stop distributi­on over protocol violations

- BY RHODA GRACE B. SARON AND SAMANTHA T. BURGOS

THE CITY government yesterday ordered all barangay captains to halt distributi­on of quarantine passes, food passes, and work passes until they will come up with a better system.

its Facebook page, the city advised barangay captains to wait for further instructio­ns to avoid chaos and confusion.

Yesterday morning, some barangay officials have started distributi­ng home quarantine passes. Each household gets one

ID. Only one family member can use the pass to buy food or medicine. Those who will be caught without the proper authority will be fined or imprisoned

The quarantine pass aims to limit the number of people going out of their homes to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Earlier, the Department of Interior Local Government said the passes are for free not for sale.

However, the city received reports that some

barangays have asked their constituen­ts to get their quarantine passes at the barangay hall. As a result, residents had to violate the physical distancing protocol while queuing for their IDs.

In an earlier televised press briefing, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said barangay officials selling quarantine passes will be sued. Nograles also reminded local government units with villages distributi­ng quarantine passes to coordinate their efforts with the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the correct guideline.

Lawmakers institutio­nalize EOs on curfew, quarantine

THE CITY council approved an ordinance institutio­nalizing the local government’s emergency policies on COVID-19.

Councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta,

committee chair on peace and public safety, filed a resolution under suspended rules on Tuesday, March 23, during the regular session.

Under the ordinance, penalties are imposed to those who will violate the protocols of the city concerning COVID-19. The ordinance was certified urgent by the Vice Mayor’s Office.

The ordinance institutio­nalized executive orders 10, 12, 12-A, 15-A, and 16-A. These EOs contain the protocols of the city on its restrictio­ns and the temporary closures of all business establishm­ents in the city.

Acosta said that under the ordinance, violations on sections 1-11, which cover the EOs on community quarantine, restrictio­n on travels, curfew, imposed curfew for vulnerable sectors (senior citizens, minors, pregnant women, sick and immune-compromise­d individual­s in the city), liquor ban, and funerals will be a fine of P3,000 for the first offense and P5,000 for the second offense and/or imprisonme­nt of not more than a year at the discretion of the court.

On the other hand, Sections 12, 13 and 14 of the ordinance which covers the persons under monitoring (PUM) and persons under investigat­ion (PUI) protocols, have imposed a fine of P5,000 and imprisonme­nt of not more than a year at the discretion of the court.

Persons who also fail to immediatel­y disclose their travel histories to COVID-19 contaminat­ed areas or exposure to known PUMs or PUIs will also be penalized.

Acosta said this is to ensure that protocols will be strictly implemente­d.

 ?? BING GONZALES ?? PERSONNEL of the Toril Police Station screen residents entering the Toril Public Market, where the pregnant, 50 years old and older, and 16 years old and below are barred from going in.
BING GONZALES PERSONNEL of the Toril Police Station screen residents entering the Toril Public Market, where the pregnant, 50 years old and older, and 16 years old and below are barred from going in.

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