As penalty to ECQ violators: Rama questioning community service

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama will check on the legality of imposing community service for the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) violators.

"Anything which is of community service, it should be covered by an ordinance. That's why I have to check whether it's being a part of the ordinance unya it has to be spelled also aron nga with the implementing rules and regulation that we will not be treading a dangerous ground of rights of children and then also the human rights and more other rights that will have to be violated," said Rama.

"Kontra man gani nako ang mga panghitabo na pasayawon... Di na mao," he added.

As a penalty for violating the ECQ guidelines and protocols, some of the violators were made to clean up by collecting the garbage at the coastal area of the South Road Properties (SRP).

Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) Head Raquel Arce had said that those apprehended are usually asked to render community service.

“(About) 233 for community service alone starting afternoon of July 6 until July 9. Dili tanan madakpan ipa-community service, kay kung madakpan ka sa gabii dili naka maka-community service so diri lang ka sa plaza mag-physical exercise,” Arce earlier said.

Each violator will have to render two hours, either for community service at the SRP or at Carbon Public Market, or physical exercise at the Plaza Independencia. There are also seminars held in the plaza for the violators.

Senior citizens and minors are just ordered to stay in the plaza until the time that they are allowed to go, and they will not be asked to do community service.

For Rama, the penalty to be imposed against ECQ violators has to be fair, reasonable, not oppressive, and not doing any injustice.

"Plus, it should not be discriminatory and not violative of any statutes or national policy. Remember I am a victim of judgement without being heard. I am a very living victim of being persecuted, being judged without due process. And, I will fight that no one should get into that where I had been into," he said.

Last June 26, 2020, the City Council has enacted an ordinance "penalizing any violation in relation to the implementation of the city’s community quarantine during a public health crisis" wherein fines of up to P10,000 and imprisonment of at least 30 days await violators of Cebu City’s community quarantine measures. GAN (FREEMAN)