Gov’t to defy courts on quarantine protocols: PRRD

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday warned of defying a possible court order to suspend quarantine protocols in Cebu.

This, after two Cebu-based lawyers, filed a petition before the Cebu City Regional Trial Court seeking to stop the enforcement of the 10-day quarantine for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and returning overseas Filipino workers (ROFs) to Cebu.

“I will not obey the courts in the matter now of management of the pandemic,” Duterte said in a pre-recorded public address.

He stood by the quarantine policy of his pandemic response team, asking the courts not to issue an order to stop the policy.

“I advise the courts, huwag niyo na lang ilabas. ‘Pag ilabas ninyo ((don’t issue that order. If you issue it) there will be a ruckus. I will just say I am here to protect the people,” he said.

Duterte also ordered the Department of the Interior and Local government (DILG) to decide on the issue concerning Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s travel protocols in the province.

“I leave the fate of Governor Garcia sa DILG. There are some mechanics that can be put in action to, well, compel obedience, not because we want to be mas marunong (know-it-alls) but remember I said, all our decisions are based on what the medical people say, period,” he said.

He recognized the burden on returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) who had to pay for their 10-day quarantine.

“I see the wisdom in her view but I said the overwhelming notion among us in government and the medical doctors simply do not agree with her,” he added.

To recall, Malacañang ordered to divert international flights bound for Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from May 29 until June 5, 2021 amid Cebu’s deviation in the IATF’s travel protocols.

Duterte, meanwhile, floated the idea of using the unobligated funds under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) to pay for expenses of ROFs.

“Congress appropriated so much money for Bayanihan [2]. I think if may residual pa diyan naiwan (if there are some funds left), it behooves upon the government to pay for the sequestration expenses of every returning Filipino,” he said.