Cotabato City mayor to file charges vs ECQ violators

Cotabato City Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi will file charges against individuals violating the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) measures.

She observed that many people are still on the streets without valid reasons during the ECQ, prompting law enforcers to make some violators do push-ups and pick up garbage as punishment due to lack of detention space.

Mayor Guiani-Sayadi warned that repeat offenders could face jail time.

She reiterated her call for city residents not to violate the citywide community lockdown that was implemented to spare the city from the virus.

The mayor also ordered traffic law enforcers, front-liners, police, and soldiers to remain strict in implementing ECQ guidelines for the safety of everyone.

Mayor Guiani-Sayadi appealed to mayors of neighboring towns in Maguindanao to help by preventing their constituents from entering Cotabato City without legitimate purposes.

The city government will implement a new system of color-coded quarantine passes with specific validity periods for essential purchases.

These passes will not serve as a license for unnecessary movement, even for law enforcers.

As of Monday, Cotabato City had six confirmed COVID-19 cases, all of whom have since recovered.