Source: ABS-CBN news
MANILA, Philippines – Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte calls a local official “irresponsible” over his “shoot to kill” threat against community quarantine violators in the city as a stricter lockdown was imposed in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, Monday, August 4.
Belmonte said it was “irresponsible” for Rannie Ludovica, head the Quezon City local government’s Task Force Disiplina, to say that violators of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) should be shot dead, according to ABS-CBN News.
“Ito po ay mali (It was wrong). It is inappropriate. It is irresponsible.”
Mayor joy belmonte during a palace press briefing
Belmonte said Ludovica’s post was a personal one and was done out of “frustration” as she distanced the Quezon City local government.
“Gusto ko lang po bigyang diin na ito ay pinost niya sa Facebook account niyang personal at hindi po ito sumasalamin sa mga polisiya, sa mga prinsipyo ng pamahalaang lungsod ng Quezon.”
(I wish to emphasize that his Facebook was a personal one. It doesn’t represent the policies and principles of the Quezon City government.)
“Wala naman pong katotohanan sa kaniyang pinost. Wala po siyang masamang intensyon,” Belmonte added.
(There is no truth to his post. There was no wrong intention.)
Ludovica has since clarified that his “shoot to kill” post is not official policy of the Quezon City local government but not without blaming news website Rappler for its report on his statement.
“Bilang paglilinaw, walang ganitong polisiya ang Pamahalaang Lungsod Quezon. Ang aking personal Facebook post lamang ang pinagbatayan ng Rappler ng malisyosong impormasyon na ito upang palabasin na pormal na polisiya ito ng lungsod,”
rannie ludovica
(For clarification, this is not a policy of Quezon City. My personal Facebook post was the only basis of Rappler for the malicious information to make it appear that it was a policy of the city.)
“The number of COVID-19 positive cases continue to rise in the city and the whole country because of the absence of discipline for most of our people and their violation of the law,” he said in his statement.