Covid-19, insurgency and ‘martial law’

EDITORIAL

Saying the danger is still present, President Duterte extended the lockdown in Metro Manila and provinces like Benguet (wherein Baguio City is geographically located) until May 15, considered to be high-risk areas to control the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.

Duterte also threatened to impose martial law if communist rebels did not stop their attacks amid the outbreak of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.

"We are all at risk," he said in a televised address announcing the extension of the lockdown in metropolitan Manila and several provinces on the most populous island of Luzon.

"Don’t increase the odds or chances of getting it," Duterte added.

Eight provinces in central and southern Philippines, where cases of Covid-19 were increasing, were also put under stricter "enhanced community quarantine" measures, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

Under the lockdown guidelines, schools, public transport, and work in private and most government offices are suspended in areas under the enhanced community quarantine.

Only one person per household is allowed to go out to buy groceries, medicines and other essential supplies.

In other areas not considered high risk, government will soon allow public transport and work in private and government offices to resume but on a limited basis only, Roque said.

Malls will also be allowed to open but only with shops that offer essential products, he added.

"The number of people inside the mall will be limited,” he said, adding that everyone will be required to get temperature checks, wear face masks and use alcohol. "No one can hang out in the mall.”

Malls will be required to set the temperature of their air-conditioning units to 26 degrees Celcius and to disable their wifi internet to discourage people from lingering inside, Roque added.

During his televised address, Duterte also lambasted communist rebels for their continued attacks on government troops amid the outbreak and warned them to stop this.

"I am now warning everybody, I might declare martial law and there will be no turning back," he warned even as the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army said it would increase attacks against government forces with government not observing a ceasefire.

Duterte said the government will also go after organizations acting as legal fronts of communist rebels and providing them financial support.

The Department of Health on April 24 reported 211 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, bringing the national tally to 7,192. It also reported 15 additional deaths pushing the death toll to 477.

Duterte urged the public to bear with restrictions to help contain the spread of the coranavirus. Covid-19 has plunged the country and worldwide into an uncertain future.

Unless the dreaded virus will dissipate, everything is hanging.