Village chiefs are supposed to pursue unvaccinated people: Philippine President blows the hunt

Created: 01/07/2022Updated: 01/07/2022, 2:44 PM

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in July 2021 © Jam Sta Rosa / POOL / AFP

Corona is also a big problem in the Philippines.

President Duterte is now taking tough action if the curfew is violated. 

Manila - The Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte wants to have unvaccinated citizens arrested in the corona pandemic * if they leave the house.

His spokesman Karlo Nograles said on Friday that he had instructed the village chiefs across the country to pursue these people, withhold them and, if necessary, arrest them.

Duterte issued this order during a meeting of the national anti-Covid 19 task force on Thursday evening.

Philippine President Duterte cracks down on the unvaccinated: "Because they put everyone in danger"

"These measures for the unvaccinated are being taken to protect our people as the unvaccinated put everyone at risk," said Nograles.

The authorities in the capital region of Manila had previously imposed additional travel and activity restrictions for unvaccinated people and only allowed them to go out of the house for urgently needed cases.

In Metro Manila, a metropolitan area with 16 cities and 13 million inhabitants, the alert level was raised on Monday after the intensive travel activity over the holidays and the appearance of the Omikron variant.

Corona in the Philippines: Undersecretary warns about Omicron

The Ministry of Health reported 21,819 new infections on Friday, the highest number for a day since September 26.

The total number of deaths from the corona pandemic rose by 129 to 51,871.

Undersecretary of State Maria Rosario Vergeire warned the population not to become negligent in the face of reports that Omikron led to milder disease courses.

As of Thursday, 51 million Filipinos, or nearly 47 percent of the total population, had been fully vaccinated, according to the ministry.

Duterte * is controversial because of his authoritarian style of government, he is accused of human rights violations.