Philippines Official Under Fire After Police Throw Quarantine Violators Inside Dog Cages
Philippines official Frederick Ambrocio is under major heat after his local Santa Cruz police were found throwing coronavirus quarantine violators into dog cages.
On Saturday (Mar 28), Ambrocio, who is the chairman of Barangay Gatid, a local administrative division in charge of enforcing the curfew, was charged with violating the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Acts.
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It’s reported that the humiliating and abusive punishments are not only being seen in Philippines, but also mirror tactics in China and India. In the former, footage has surfaced of authorities tying violators to pillars and berating them. In the latter, footage shows police beating violators and forcing them to do push-ups.
Subsequent to hearing about the cases across the continent, Human Rights Watch Deputy Director of Asia, Phil Robertson addressed the behavior seen by authorities.
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He stated, “Police and local officials should respect the rights of those they arrest for violating curfew and other public health regulations, which can be done while still allowing the Philippines government to take appropriate measures to combat COVID-19.Any mistreatment should be immediately investigated, and the authorities responsible held accountable.”