A woman who was doing laundry in her front yard in Marcelo Green Village in Parañaque City was fined PHP1,000 (US$20) by the authorities after they insisted that she violated health protocols by not wearing a face mask.
A now widely shared five-minute video of Dina Mapayo that was uploaded early this week shows the elderly woman arguing with members of the Parañaque Task Force in her yard, who were in the process of issuing her a ticket for not wearing a face mask because she was “outside” her home. Mapayo resisted arrest and argued that it was her first time to violate a rule she was unaware of.
Wearing masks when leaving the house has been made mandatory by the Duterte government since April to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
“I didn’t know that you needed a face mask while doing the laundry. All I know is if you’re buying something from the store when you’re outside, then you need a face mask,” Mapayo told the task force members in English and Filipino.
“That’s already mandatory, when you leave the house you need to put on a face mask. I’m telling you now that [because] you’re resisting, you’re not cooperating…within three days we’ll find your name and send you a summon. Your problems will get bigger,” an unnamed Parañaque task force personnel was seen on video telling Mapayo.
Read: Howie Severino accosted by Quezon City officials after removing facemask to drink
“Where are [my] human rights? I am in front of my yard, I’m not some stubborn person loitering about without a face mask, I’m in front of my house,” Mapayo shot back, while unidentified members of the household took a video of the entire scuffle.
The city punishes mask-less public violators with PHP1,000 and six hours of community service on the first offense, PHP3,000 (U$61) plus nine hours on the second offense, and PHP5,000 (US$103) plus 12 hours on the third violation.
Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez told TV Patrol that while his team is bent on enforcing coronavirus rules, he is having the incident investigated. It’s unclear if the city is holding off Mapayo’s penalties until the investigation is completed.
Back in July, a similar incident involving enforcement of face mask rules drew public ire when award-winning journalist and GMA News reporter Howie Severino was accosted by Quezon City officials for briefly pulling down his mask to get a drink of water.
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