Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte wants enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) violators to shoulder their hospital expenses if ever that they contracted COVID-19 because they disobeyed the order of the government.

On April 14, Duterte told the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) that the ECQ violators should not expect any help from the Davao City Government if they got hospitalized.

The Presidential daughter made the said statement following the rising numbers of private vehicles roaming around the city despite the curfew hours imposed.

“Kung natakdan ka og Covid-19 tungod nag-violate ka sa Enhanced Community Quarantine, dili mobayad ang city government sa imong pagpahospital (Kung ikaw ay nahawa ng COVID-19 dahil ikaw ay sumuway sa Enhanced Community Quarantine, hindi sasagutin ng siyudad ang iyong pagpapa-ospital),” Inday Sara Duterte said.

Duterte couldn’t understand why there are many private vehicles roaming around her city while there are only a few establishments open and only few are allowed to go to work.

“Most of the supermarket workers do not use these kinds of vehicles,” she said.

She also said that the ECQ violators are still free to use their Philhealth, however, if their hospitalization bills exceeded to the amount covered by the insurance, they should not expect help from the Davao City Government.

Duterte was confident that if the violators could afford their own hospitalization if they have the money to use their car despite the community quarantine.

“They can afford the gasoline of these vehicles so they should prepare for the payment of their hospital bills once they acquire COVID-19 from violating the protocols of the ECQ,” she added.

According to Philippine Health Insurance Corporation President and CEO Ricardo Morales, they’re going to impose new case rate packages for the COVID-19 patients starting April 15.

Patients will get the following insurance coverage, depending on their condition:

– P43,997.00, for those with mild pneumonia;

– P143,267.00, for those with moderate pneumonia;

– P333,519.00, for those with severe pneumonia;

– P786,384.00, for those with critical pneumonia.

Before, Philhealth is covering the full hospitalization cost of COVID-19 patients.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III asked the local government officials to shoulder the expenses of the financial aid for their constituents that not covered by the Social Amelioration Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In an interview with DZMM, Sotto said that LGUs might shoulder the expenses while the government was having a problem in distributing the funds for financial aid.

Sotto made the said suggestion when asked about the possible solution on the distribution problem of funds to the LGUs who didn’t match their records of eligible constituents for the social amelioration package to DSWD.

“Ngayon, sa baba naman, tutal delayed ng kung palagay mo may delay, saka sinasabi mo nga, hindi nagtutugma, karamihan naman ng mga LGU kakayanin. Abonohan mo muna, makakasingil ka naman sa gobyerno. Ito pa nga, sinasabi nga natin na pati sa SMEs meron tayong ibibigay, eh di lalo na sa inyong mga LGUs, yung loan portfolio namin available, di ba? Abonohan mo muna, pagalingan din naman ng local officials ito dahil kung magaling kang magremedyo, makikita ng mga kababayan mo yan,” Sotto said.

According to Sotto, the LGUs should not worry about the expenses as the government has sufficient funds to help the Filipinos affected by the global pandemic.

The Senate President said that if required, they’re going to do anything to ensure that DSWD is going to pay the money shouldered by the LGU officials.

He said that the distribution of cash aid should hasten as many Filipinos already needed the money.

“Pakiusap naman natin din habang ginagawa namin yang sinabi mong yan, pakiusap naman natin sa mga local officials abonohan ninyo yung kulang at saka natin singilin yung DSWD katulong ninyo kami na maniningil diyan at kung ano ang pondong kailangan, kung kailangan kaming gumawang batas para diyan, gagawin namin,” Sotto said.

“Abonohan ninyo muna. Pag sinabing hindi, wala, ito lang ang calamity fund namin, inalis na nga namin yung cap, doon sa Bayanihan Act, wala na ngang cap sa mga calamity fund, gamitin ninyo lang kahit anong pondo muna, di ba? Boss, ang usapan dito, buhay muna, saka na yung pera, saka na yung gobyerno. Hindi maibabalik yung buhay, pero yung pera, maibabalik yan, kikitain ng gobyerno yan,” he added.

Sotto said that the government may also cancel some of its infrastructure projects if required to help the people.

Under the Bayanihan Law, 18 million families will receive a monthly financial/food aid worth P5,000 to P8,000 depending on the beneficiary’s location.

The government is also studying the possibility to include the middle-class families affected by the quarantine in the social amelioration program.

A blogger and lawyer said that it’s possible for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file charges against Ruby Villanueva, popularly known as ‘Mystica’ for her post against President Rodrigo Duterte.

On April 12, lawyer Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles said that based on Mystica’s statement, she could be charged with ‘inciting to sedition’ for encouraging the people to go out and fight the government.

Atty. Angeles posted some of Mysta’s statements from her vlog that published on March 26 that could be evidence that the former actress was promoting a rebellion.

“Sumasang-ayon na talaga ako kung ano yung mga prinsipyo ni Vice President Leni (Robredo). Dati rati, never ako nagbanggit about Leni Robredo. But right now sumusuporta na ako sa kanila. All the way. Sumusuporta ako sa kanila,” Mystica said.

“Kaya kung sino ang sumusuporta kay Vice President Leni Robredo, let’s get out there and be in full foce, labanan natin itong gobyerno na ito, lalong lalo na ang ating Presidente,” she added.

Mystica also said that it’s better to lose their lives fighting the government instead of choosing not to do something.

She also encouraged her followers to share her statements to everyone on social media.

According to the law, inciting sedition carries a maximum penalty of six years in detention.

In the complaint of the National Bureau of Investigation against Rodel Jayme, one of the alleged uploaders of ‘Bikoy’ videos, status posts on social media are now considered as ‘electronic speech’.

“Seditious words or speeches, write, publish, or circulate scurrilous libels, can now be done electronically (social media and blog web pages) and being online it now caters to a larger and wider audience.” the NBI complaint against Jayme reads.

Mystica posted the said controversial remarks against the government via social media.

Meanwhile, the actress already made a public apology to President Duterte on her latest vlog.

“I’m sure na mapapatawad ako ni Presidente, dahil alam niya na ang isang tao kapag frustrated masasabi niya lahat, katulad din niya nasasabi niya rin kung ano yung frustration niya,” she said.

“Bilang anak, alam ko na hindi tama yun, inaadmit ko, kaya kung yun man ang dahilan na ako ay huhusgahan na ng mundo, ako kakastiguhin na wala akong puso, wala akong ginawa kundi reklamo ng reklamo, siguro niyo naman ay maintindihan niyo ang bakit,” she added.

Will her public apology be enough to save her from possible charges?

President Rodrigo Duterte reminded the local government officials not to be carried by their own opinions and make their own rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their place.

During his televised address, Duterte said that the officials of LGUs should follow the social distancing rules imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases instead of making their own ways based on their beliefs.

Duterte warned the local officials not to insist on their own rules or else face charges or dismissal for not cooperating with the national government.

“Kayong mga Mayors wag kayong maglaro, kasi kung ayaw ninyong mag social distancing, mapipilitan ako na puntahan kita at arestuhin kita, ayaw ko mag aresto ng Mayor, pero huwag kang mag sabi na ‘ay mayroon kaming batas na sinusunod’ sa panahon na ito, ang batas ay isa lang, ang batas ng DOH, as implemented by (Defense Secretary Delfin) Lorenzana, (Interior Secretary Eduardo) Año, (chief implementer Carlito) Galvez pati itong..” Duterte said.

“Kung salubungin mo yan, mapipilitan akong puntahan at sabihin sayo ‘anong klase ka? mayroon ng ibinibigay na instruction, yung iyong point of view taguin mo lang yan, punta ka doon, pasok ka sa kwarto mo, kunin mo lahat sa bulsa mo ang iyong opinyon, ilagay mo sa drawer mo tapos mo sundin mo lang ang gobyerno, okay ba tayo diyan, Mayor, Governor?” he added.

The President then reminded the local officials that he’s only their subordinate and servant, as long as they’re doing what’s better for the people.

Duterte said that he doesn’t care about politics anymore as he’s soon to retire after his presidency.

On April 1, three governors face charges for implementing their own rules contrary to the protocols set by President Duterte and IATF.

However, DILG refused to name the said governors.

Celebrity-turned-politician Angelika Dela Cruz has a message to the critics of the government amid the enhanced community quarantine.

In an Instagram post, Dela Cruz, who’s the current barangay captain of Barangay Longos in Malabon asked the people who kept blabbering to shut their mouths.

“In this time of crisis, if you cannot help, just quarantine your mouth!” Dela Cruz said.

“Kung hindi makakatulong sa mga tao ang sasabihin natin please…” she added.

Dela Cruz said the same words used by Senator Christopher “Bong” Go to the critics of the government.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Kung hindi makakatulong sa mga tao ang sasabihin natin please ….

A post shared by Angelika Dela Cruz ? (@angelikadelacruz) on Apr 7, 2020 at 7:36pm PDT

Several celebrities like Lovie Poe and Kakai Bautista commented on the post of Dela Cruz who’s known to be a supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte since 2016.

Netizen @tj_28_ commented to Dela Cruz’s post, who said that too much freedom of expression could put people to their worst form.

Like other public officials, Dela Cruz used social media to update her constituents about the current happenings in their barangay.

For the second time, Ruby ‘Mystica’ Villanueva apologized to President Rodrigo Duterte after she criticized the chief executive several times this month and called for its ouster.

On her latest social media vlog, Villanueva said that she now understood the President’s decision to warn the leftist groups not to go out of their houses.

In her past video, Villanueva criticized Duterte’s order to give harsh punishments to the people who would plan to violate the enhanced community quarantine rules.

“Na realize ko na kulang talaga, kung ako man ay nakapag mura, I repeated again, dahil sa parang ako rin ay isang anak ng isang ama, kasi from the start ay tinuring ko na rin siyang ama, isa rin ako sa mga sumuporta sa kanya,” Villanueva said.

According to her, one of the reasons why she temporarily withdrew her support to the President is when she got informed that the social amelioration program launched by the government would only benefit the ‘poorest of the poor’.

Mystica said that she’s only trying to voice out her frustrations against the recent actions of the government.

“I’m sure na mapapatawad ako ni Presidente, dahil alam niya na ang isang tao kapag frustrated masasabi niya lahat, katulad din niya nasasabi niya rin kung ano yung frustration niya,” she said.

“Bilang anak, alam ko na hindi tama yun, inaadmit ko, kaya kung yun man ang dahilan na ako ay huhusgahan na ng mundo, ako kakastiguhin na wala akong puso, wala akong ginawa kundi reklamo ng reklamo, siguro niyo naman ay maintindihan niyo ang bakit,” she added.

Last month, Mystica said that she would take back her apology to Duterte and accused the President of never treating the people equally.

“Right now ay binabawi ko na apology because I don’t think anything that making sense right now, na talagang ibinibigay niyang parusa sa amin kung sino pa mga taong kami mismo ay walang ginawa kundi magbayad ng taxes, but right now hindi kami iprioritize,” she said.

“I’m challenging the President na siya ang i home quarantine, wag siyang palabasin at wag siyang bigyan ng pagkain at inumin, baka ilang araw lang ay hindi na siya mabubuhay, katulad ng mga ginagawa niya sa mga taong katulad namin,” she added.

GMA journalist Arnold Clavio made a shocking claim on his Instagram page, mentioning that one hospital in Metro Manila was having problems handling the cadavers of COVID-19 victims.

Clavio said that he got the information from one of the frontliners working in the said hospital.

According to his post, cadavers were just left in the hallway of the hospital, and some of their facilities were crowded with COVID-19 patients.

The journalist said that ten people are losing their lives inside the said hospital every day.

However, the source of his information claimed that the said medical institution didn’t report the accurate data anymore.

Clavio then asked the Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III why they’re not counting the victims of COVID-19 anymore.

“Sa China, kaya lumala ang krisis dahil hindi nagsabi ng totoo sa nangyari ang kanilang gobyerno. Kaya ang tanging panlaban lang ng publiko ay manatili sa loob ng bahay, magsuot ng mask at maghugas ng kamay, mag-ehersisyo at kumain ng masusustansyang pagkain para mapanatiling malakas ang ating immune system,” he said.

“Maging tapat para di na kumalat. Naghihintay kami @secduque. Ano ang totoong situwasyon sa Pilipinas? Bakit kailangan na hindi na i-census o bilangin ang mga namatay sa Covid 19? Maraming salamat po,” he added.

In his second post, Clavio claimed that his Facebook account was disabled after his claims have gone viral on social media.

The journalist shared some of the social media conversations of some alleged frontliners to show that he’s not sharing ‘fake news’.

“Nakakalungkot pero madaling magtago sa likod ng mga katagang “fake news”. Idilat nyo ang mga mata ninyo, at maitanong ko lang, bilang lider, tagapamuno, at kapitbahay ng naturang hospital, kailan kayo huling nagpunta sa EAMC para kausapin ang mga frontliner dito?” Clavio asked.

“Kung ito ay ‘fake news’ bakit halos lahat sa gobyerno ay kumilos agad para pagtakpan ang pagkukulang na nailantad? Maaari naman palang agad-agad ay may solusyon. Ngayon, lahat kumikilos para ‘linisin ang kalat’. Muli, salamat sa pagdagsa ng tulong na mga cadaver bags para mailibing na ng maayos ang mga biktima ng COVID19,” he added.

Lately, the hospital being mentioned by Clavio was revealed to be the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health denied that there’s an order to stop the counting of people losing their lives due to COVID-19.

They also said that they’re launching an investigation about the issue.

East Avenue also denied the rumors that DOH ordered them to stop the census of COVID-19 victims.