IT HAS been more than four months since major urban areas in the country were placed on community quarantine to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
A lot has changed.
For one thing, many people now don’t leave their homes without a face mask or a quarantine pass. And, like social distancing, these have become de rigueur.
And yet, every day, members of Cebu City’s Prevention, Rehabilitation, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (Probe) arrest residents for violating these quarantine guidelines.
I mean, you would think these people would know by now that there are certain things they can’t do while the whole archipelago is in the middle of a health crisis. Yet, they still do it. Go figure.
For some, it might be a matter of necessity. We all know there weren’t enough passes to go around. Maybe some of the violators had to go out to make essential purchases. Or try to make a living so they can afford to make those essential purchases. Hence, they took the risk and paid for it.
At any rate, authorities should take these factors into consideration.
After all, they imposed these draconian measures to ensure everyone’s safety. So it doesn’t make sense when they expose the very people they’ve vowed to protect to unnecessary dangers.
How else will you describe detaining quarantine violators from different parts of the city, holding them all together in buses at the Plaza Independencia and forcing them to do community service and physical exercises? Again, together.
I thought the whole point of this little exercise was to isolate everyone from each other to prevent infection.
But apparently it’s not. It’s all about instilling discipline. At least, that’s what that brilliant person behind Probe is saying. What’s her name? Oh yes, Raquel Arce.
I shouldn’t be picking on her. It’s not fair. After all, she is not the policy-maker, so to speak, she is just the implementer.
Admittedly, not every violator has the noblest of intentions. I mean, have you read about the arrests in Argao involving barangay officials? Don’t get me wrong. I am proud to associate myself with that southern town. Both my paternal grandparents were born and raised there before moving to the city after the Second World War. But playing mahjong and holding an illegal cockfight? Come on.
Anyway, back in Cebu City, Arce said quarantine violators will no longer be subjected to physical punishment starting Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020.
Instead, they will have to pay a fine ranging from P1,500 to P5,000 or face jail time of up to 30 days depending on the court’s discretion.
Perhaps with these stiff penalties, people will finally take the quarantine seriously, Arce said. Because they thought this was all a game all this time?
And if they can’t pay, what then? Huh?Again, it’s all about discipline. Not the public’s well-being.