BY AARON RECUENCO
Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has rejected the proposal of an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement a martial law-type approach in the campaign to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The proposal of DILG Undersecretary Martin Diño to launch a shame campaign against quarantine violators also did not sit well with Gamboa, insinuating that it is in violation of the existing law especially on privacy.
“The PNP, on our part, would not do such things because we always operate in accordance with the law,” said Gamboa, who is a lawyer.
Last week, Diño was quoted advocating a shame campaign on quarantine violators due to the rising number of coronavirus infections in the country. He later clarified his statement and claimed that he was misquoted.
Gamboa said that the proposal for a Martial law-like show of force of the police and the military in the government’s campaign on COVID-19 also goes against the policy of the PNP in dealing with civilians.
The use of the term Martial Law, according to Gamboa, is problematic and he said the PNP does not want to be linked to it.
“We really do not want to be again linked in Martial Law-type et cetera. In the PNP, we have always practiced maximum tolerance but of course we will always implement the law,” said Gamboa. (Aaron Recuenco)
