President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday he would hold local officials responsible for violating protocols meant to stop the spread of COVID-19 in their jurisdiction.

“I will hold responsible and I will direct the Secretary of the local government, DILG, to hold the mayors and responsible for this kind of events happening in their places,” Duterte said in a taped public address.

“It is a violation of the law, and if you do not enforce the law there is a dereliction of duty, which is punishable under the Revised Penal Code.”

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Mayors have operational control of the police, while barangay chairpersons should know what happens in their village, said Duterte.

“ ’Pag may nangyari pang pistahan o sayawan d’yan, ang tawagin ng DILG, ang mayor pati barangay captain,” the President said.

(If a feast or party happens, the DILG will summon the mayor and barangay captain.)

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He said they would be given time “to answer, administratively and criminally, why you should not go to prison for not enforcing the law.”

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