Senator Joel Villanueva has asked law enforcers to enforce quarantine rules but spare violators from jail, saying it could simply add to cases of coronavirus infections.
While police need to step in to enforce health protocols, there is no need to jail those caught violating these, he said.
“We cannot invoke public health in jailing quarantine violators and then throw them to jampacked jails where they will surely get infected,” said Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee.
“I hope there’s no mass incarceration because what we need now is mass vaccination,” he added.
The senator said it was important to enforce public health measures like social distancing and wearing of face masks during the rollout of the vaccine program.
The role of the police would be to enforce these measures if the outbreak gets out of control, Villanueva said.
“Whatever task is given to our police force, they should do it with compassion and kindness,” he said.
These considerations are needed especially by people on their way to work and have no means of transportation, he said.
“Our workers will surely have difficulty going to their jobs because of limited public transportation,” said Villanueva.
