QC mayor clarifies quarantine arrest memo

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte clarified a memorandum on quarantine arrests, assuring constituents there is nothing to fear.

The memorandum, dated July 13, 2020, was misinterpreted as allowing indiscriminate arrests for quarantine protocol violations.

Belmonte emphasized that the city exercises maximum tolerance and enforces laws based on reason and common sense.

She stated the intention was not to arbitrarily arrest people but to prevent abuse of power.

The memorandum serves as a summary of existing laws, ordinances, and procedures, not a new ordinance.

It was issued to provide guidelines on proper apprehension procedures, especially after an incident involving a fish vendor.

The memo allows for warrantless arrest of individuals committing or attempting to commit an offense related to quarantine protocols.