Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 1) – Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield Commander PLt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar announced on Friday they arrested 39 persons for discriminating COVID-19 frontliners.
Based on the data from the Philippine National Police, a total of 104 cases of attacks and discrimination against health workers were recorded from the start of the enhanced community quarantine on March 17 until April 29.
Of the 104 cases, 53 of them were considered as solved while 13 were classified as cleared. A total of 38 other cases are still under investigation.
Most of the attacks and discrimination against COVID-19 frontliners occurred in Central Visayas with 17 cases, Western Visayas with 14, MIMAROPA (Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) with 11, and Metro Manila with 10 cases.
“The Filipino people owe to the health workers why we are still standing as a nation and why we continue to believe that we could defeat the coronavirus disease. The least that we could do as law enforcers is to protect them from shameless and inconsiderate people who unfairly treat them despite their sacrifices,” said Eleazar in a statement.
PNP Chief PGen. Archie Gamboa earlier ordered the police force to ensure the protection of all health workers in their respective areas of responsibility over rising cases of attacks and discrimination against them.
Local government units also enacted ordinances to punish those who discriminate COVID-19 frontliners.
READ: Metro Manila mayors want to punish discrimination of health workers, COVID-19 patients
Eleazar assured the PNP is still prioritizing health workers-related attacks amid the extension of ECQ in some areas and the imposition of general community quarantine in most places in the country.
“We will make sure that these people who would dare attack or discriminate our hero health workers will pay,” added Eleazar.
The national government extended the ECQ in Metro Manila, Central Luzon (except Aurora), and CALABARZON regions up to May 15.
Also covered by the ECQ extension are Pangasinan province, Benguet province (including Baguio City), Iloilo province (including Iloilo City), Cebu province (including Cebu City), Davao City, and Bacolod City.
