Celebs assail Duterte over ‘community quarantine’ imposition on NCR

By: Ian Biong - 5 years ago

President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he delivers his speech at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila on Thursday, March 12. Image: RTVM via AP

Several celebrities have expressed their ire following President Rodrigo Duterte’s address to the nation yesterday, March 12, wherein he announced placing Metro Manila under “community quarantine” starting March 15.

Artist-activist Juan Miguel Severo took a jab at the move to bolster police and the military presence as part of the community quarantine.

“I-give ko na ang galing ng desisyon ng pangulo na paigtingin ang presensya ng kapulisan at militar sa gitna ng pandemic na ito. Siyempre nga naman mai-intimidate ang virus sa kanila kasi mas marami na silang pinatay kaysa sa Corona, e,” Severo jested on Twitter yesterday, March 12.

(I give it to the President’s great decision to boost the presence of the police and the military amid this pandemic. Of course, the virus would be intimidated by the authorities because they have killed more people than corona[virus].)

https://twitter.com/TheRainBro/status/1238122571456860160

Singer-songwriter Bullet Dumas, a vocal critic of the Duterte administration, also slammed the said decision via Twitter yesterday.

“Basta daw gawin niyo ang dapat gawin kung ano man iyon, kung hindi lagut kayo sa DOH at sa kanya (He said we should just do what we should do, or else we will have to be answerable to the Department of Health or him),” the singer said.

During the address, Duterte said that violators and officials who refuse to enforce the temporary restrictions would be arrested and jailed.

“Tularan niyo daw si hardworking senator go. Ginusto niyo daw yang position. Magtrabaho ka daw nang maayos. Wala pa daw solusyon so galingan niyo muna. Hindi daw ‘to Martial Law,” Dumas quipped.

(He said you guys should be like the hardworking senator [Bong] Go. [And that] you wanted the position you are in now, so you should work properly. There is no solution yet, so you should just work harder. This is not martial law.)

In an earlier tweet, Dumas lamented how the current pandemic is being “downplayed” by the government, stressing that citizens should help each other because the President will not.

“Hanep ‘to. We are all affected. Canceled work, events, school, etc. Walang pera mga tao. Walang consumers. Lagut ang businesses and corporations. Walang kita. Lagut lahat,” he stressed. “Downplay pa more. Di maayos ang pagkahandle. Hirap maging [third] world! Someone help us. Coz Duterte won’t.”

(This is one of a kind. Canceled work, events, school, etc. People have no money. There are no consumers. Businesses and corporations suffer. There is no income. Everyone’s going to suffer. Downplay this more. This was handled poorly. It is so hard to be a third-world country! Someone help us, because Duterte won’t.)

Actress Agot Isidro, meanwhile, left a simple “We are on our own, kids” via her Twitter account amid last night’s press conference.

In an earlier tweet, Isidro called out Duterte for offering sympathy to China, sharing an INQUIRER.net report about the Philippine government donating 52 boxes of emergency medical and food supplies to Wuhan, China, where the novel coronavirus originated.

“Offers sympathy to China. Calls the Philippines ‘this fucking country.’ I kennat,” she stressed.

OPM icon Jim Paredes also lamented how the President focused more on strengthening the military and expressing gratitude to China while the country’s health workers are doing a great task at the frontline of the battle against COVID-19.

“Sadly, Dut did not acknowledge nor thank the frontliners (docs, nurses, lab technicians, etc.) last night,” he said. “He put more emphasis on trusting the military and [China].”

https://twitter.com/Jimparedes/status/1238260475823116289

Actor Enchong Dee, meanwhile, seemed to have had a laugh at the President’s address, as seen on his Twitter posts last night.

“Ikot ikot lang ikot ikot ikot,” he said, quoting Sarah Geronimo’s song “Ikot-ikot.”

“Gusto ko mainis pero tawang tawa ako sa mensahe (I wanted to be pissed, but I kept on laughing at the message),” he said in another tweet.

Other stars offered words of encouragement and advice to the public amid the National Capital Region’s being placed under community quarantine.

Television host Bianca Gonzalez urged fans to take care of themselves and strengthen their immunity to avoid getting infected by the novel coronavirus.

“Best effort tayong lahat (from all of us) to stay healthy and keep immune system up by eating well, getting some sun and movement daily. Regular hand washing. Avoiding crowded places,” she said on Twitter earlier today, March 13. “And when feeling sick, just stay home to heal because we need our full immunity at this time.”

Alex Gonzaga, meanwhile, assured fans that they will get through these dire times following the announcement of the “lockdown” yesterday.

“Good morning! I know some poeple badly need this and may be needing this because of the news and ‘lockdown’ panic yesterday but together as Filipinos ‘We will get through this!'” she said.

Duterte yesterday approved the imposition of a “community quarantine,” which he described as a “lockdown,” in Metro Manila as part of the measures to combat the spread of COVID-19. The number of recorded cases in the country has risen to 52 as of last night, while five deaths have so far been reported.  /ra

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