MANILA – Community quarantine policies to stop spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were fairly applied to the poor and the rich, including public officials, the Department of Justice (DOJ) maintained Thursday.
“There is an inconsistent application of the rule of law,” DOJ secretary Menardo Gueverra reiterated, saying the government applies the law “as uniformly as possible.”
“It just so happens that a greater number of those arrested came from the lower-income groups and that’s simply because they were the ones caught on the streets,” he added.
Guevarra also said that quarantine violators who belong to “upper-income groups or people who are known in society” are also charged and prosecuted despite public criticism of supposed double standards.
“It’s really a matter of perception. Greater number ‘yung mga tao sa masasabi natin na nasa lower income levels, ‘yung mga matatawag nating mahihirap na nahuhuli sa mga violations, but it doesn’t mean at all that there is an unfair application of the law,” Guevarra said. “We apply this as uniformly as possible.”
The government drew flak for its supposed inconsistencies over the application of COVID-19 policies as some government officials continue to hold office despite violations.
Among those who were not charged were Metro Manila Police chief Major General Debold Sinas for having his birthday mañanita while Luzon was on lockdown and Sen. Koko Pimentel, who went to Makati Medical Center despite being under quarantine./PN
