MANILA (PHILIPPINES) – Philippine police was criticised by netizens and activists on Sunday for its plan to scrutinise social media so as to implement quarantine rules.
National Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, head of a task force enforcing quarantine protocols, gave warnings of fines and penalties of community service for those breaching precautionary measures. Those violating liquor bans will face “additional charges”.
Eleazar told, “Police could use public postings on social media as leads, and these will be over and above the police visibility operations we are conducting and will complement tips we get from police hotline.”
A second round of strict lockdown measures was enforced in Manila on August 19 to bolster business activity.
Renato Reyes, secretary general of left-wing activist group Bayan (Nation) said on Twitter the plan to monitor social media, announced on Saturday, seems to show the police agency “wants to use the pandemic to turn us into a police state, where every action is being watched by the authorities.”
The Facebook page of Debold Sinas, chief of the National Capital Region police, had pictures from the birthday celebration with dozens of people without masks. There was no social distancing, and they were seen holding beer cans on their tables despite an alcohol ban. Sinas apologised.
Eleazar informed that criminal and administrative cases have been filed against Sinas for the incident.
The Philippines has reported 234,570 coronavirus cases, the highest in Southeast Asia, with 3,790 COVID-19 deaths.