Malakanyang, hinikayat ang Kongreso na gumawa ng national quarantine law

NANANALIG ang Malakanyang na gagawa ng hakbang ang Kongreso para gumawa ng batas na may kinalaman sa pagbalangkas ng National Quarantine Law.

Layon nito na magkaroon ng malinaw na batas lalo na sa kung anong kaparusahan ang dapat ipataw laban sa mga lalabag sa ipinatutupad na health at quarantine protocol.

Sinabi ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque na sa ibang mga bansa ay may ipinaiiral ng malinaw na panuntunan tungkol dito na kung saan ay itinatakda ang mabigat na parusa sa mga violators.

Sa ngayon, ang pamahalaan ay mayroon lamang na mga ordinansa at specific provisions ng Revised Penal Code na pwede namang gamiting batayan sa pagpapatupad ng aksiyon laban sa mga lumalabag.

“Well, the guest themselves would be liable. Because they are committing the breach of health protocols, which in turn would be a violation of an existing ordinances! The owners of course will also be complicit, would also be liable on the basis of conspiracy because he allowed the offenses to happen.”

“So, it’s just to stress that although we still have to come up with the national law on quarantine, we do have existing ordinances and we do have specific provisions of the Revised Penal Code which will be sufficient,” ayon kay Sec. Roque.

Maaari na rin aniya ang reckless imprudence na ipataw sa mga pasaway na may katapat na parusang kulong pero mas maiging magkaruon ayon kay Roque ng national law on quarantine na nasa hurisdiksiyon na ng Kongreso.

“Now, am I happy with the reckless imprudence, well I think there should be a higher penalty to be imposed on individuals who will be responsible for super-spreader events. Because as you know, kapag ang kaso ay reckless imprudence, there is hardly any imprisonment and which is subject to, in fact, settlement.  So I would like to see or prefer to see that Congress specifically enact a national quarantine law similar to what other countries have that would spell out stiffer penalties for those in breach of quarantine protocols,” dagdag na pahayag nito. (Daris Jose)