FED up by reports of mass gatherings amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday night, May 26, 2021, ordered the police to arrest barangay captains who fail to prevent public gatherings that could be considered as superspreader events.

Duterte said failure to enforce the law, particularly community quarantine restrictions, is considered dereliction of duty and is punishable under the Revised Penal Code.

“Talagang ang unang ipakulong ko ‘yong barangay captain having committed a crime of dereliction of duty under the Revised Penal Code. Kasi magpa-barangay captain kayo, persons in authority tapos wala kayong gawin, hindi kayo tumulong sa national government, you are not doing anything, then I will order your arrest,” he said.

“Iyong barangay captain, if you are really worth your status there, kung ayaw ninyo, umalis kayo... I’m ordering the police to arrest the barangay captain and bring him to the station, investigate him for being a derelict, of dereliction of duty having failed to enforce the law,” he added.

Duterte said barangay captains must personally see to it that large gatherings such as fiestas, cockfighting and other public events remain strictly prohibited.

Multiple infections can result from a single public gathering, the President said, as he underscored the dangers posed by social events on public health.

“Pasaway eh. Iyan ang problema. Much as we would like to reduce the COVID cases, eh kung ganoon ang ginagawa ninyo, walang katapusan na ito kasi lahat kayo naghahawaan na naman and you know the danger of congregating or getting together so close to each other, nagsasayawan pa, nagpipiyesta pa,” he said.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año, who was also present during the meeting, said he will release a memo circular indicating barangay captains’ additional responsibilities in enforcing minimum public health standards to mitigate coronavirus infections.

Año said the memo circular will mandate barangay captains to form their own barangay Covid-19 operation center as well as a barangay tanod health patrol that would conduct regular health patrols in their barangays including public places especially on weekends and public holidays.

The memo will also mandate barangay captains to prevent social gatherings such as drinking of alcoholic beverages, cockfighting, fiestas, parades and processions. (SunStar Philippines from PR)