Philippines Duterte: COVID-19 quarantine violators? Shoot them dead!

During an unscheduled televised address on Wednesday night, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte issued a stark warning to citizens, who breach lockdown restrictions amid coronavirus crisis – violate quarantine and you could wind up shot on the spot, since Philippine security forces now have orders to fire upon violent ‘troublemakers’ as the country battles the outbreak.

In a dire warning, Duterte told the police and military to adopt a gloves-off approach for violators of lockdown measures on Luzon – the country’s largest and most populous island – imposed last month to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

“I will not hesitate. My orders are to the police and the military, as well as the [districts], that if there is trouble or the situation arises that people fight and your lives are on the line, shoot them dead,” the president said.

photo: Unsplash