Lapu-Lapu mayor proposes reward for reporting mask, quarantine violators

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan proposed an ordinance for a reward system to incentivize citizens who report face mask and quarantine violators, potentially allowing for citizen's arrest.

The proposed law aims to reward informants with half of the monetary fine if they provide photo or video evidence of violations.

Current fines for not wearing a face mask are P1,000 for the first offense and P2,000 for subsequent violations, but the new article states the ordinance imposes P2,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second, and P5,000 for succeeding offenses.

Mayor Chan highlighted the need for community participation in enforcing health protocols due to limited police resources, with only 450 officers monitoring approximately 500,000 residents.

The proposal comes as Lapu-Lapu City recorded 86 new COVID-19 cases, including 12 police officers, and amid a rise in coronavirus cases.

The violations covered by the proposed amendment include non-wearing of face masks, curfew breaches, failure to carry quarantine passes, mass gatherings, and hoarding or overpricing of medical supplies.

The mayor also acknowledged the city council and Vice Mayor Celedonio Sitoy for uniting to approve the reallocation of the city's annual budget to combat COVID-19.