Charles Teves
Quezon City Task Force Disiplina head Rannie Ludovica has come under fire for his recent comments about how modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) violators will be handled.
It was on August 3 when Ludovica went on Facebook and said that MECQ violators will be shot and killed.
“Mula bukas shoot to kill na ang lalabag sa MECQ,” said Ludovica.
Journalists did not like Ludovica’s comments and blasted the official.
Bianca Dava wants him fired because prior to the controversy, he also alluded to having violators killed in a different post.
Uhm, okay? Fire him! This isn’t the first time he threatened to kill people. 😠 (📷 @JervisManahan) https://t.co/Q7FNLZXe0W pic.twitter.com/jfhGOIq8L6
— Bianca Dava 🐱 (@biancadava) August 4, 2020
Ludovica also attacked Rappler for reporting about him. Ludovica said that he used his personal account when he made the remarks and shouldn’t be an extension of the local government’s orders. But he has used his account in the past for official announcements, calls for cooperation from the public, and updates on his engagement as an official of Quezon City.
So now it’s Rappler’s fault? Sir, they simply reported what YOU posted on YOUR Facebook account. 🙄😒 https://t.co/128Glwtw7K
— Bianca Dava 🐱 (@biancadava) August 4, 2020
Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte was also criticized for rationalizing Ludovica’s remarks.
FYI Mayor Belmonte, it is CRIMINAL https://t.co/gLK0oTYEKm
— inday espina varona (@indayevarona) August 3, 2020
Ludovica never really apologized but instead defended himself saying his comment was merely “personal.”
Stop calling the press malicious when you mess up https://t.co/cb6roSqBkD
— Lian Buan (@lianbuan) August 4, 2020
Rappler’s own Bea Cupin says officials shouldn’t blame the media for reporting what they’ve done, because it is their job to do so.
Some public officials really think its the media’s fault when the media reports on what THEY said and they get criticized (for what they said)………………………………….
— Bea Cupin (@beacupin) August 4, 2020
Once upon a time a police general literally went up to me all puppy eyes and said: “binabash ako dahil sa sinulat mo.”
“Eh kasi sir sinabi mo yun eh.”
“Oo nga eh.”
Ayun nag staring contest kami. Sa awa ng…self? he took back his words and apologized after.
— Bea Cupin (@beacupin) August 4, 2020
Cupin thinks Ludovica should be ashamed of himself.
Mahiya naman sana si Rannie Ludovica sa balat niya. Also: hoy sir, it was a public post. And the point is — you really think it’s okay to post about killing? Ghorl? https://t.co/Mt8HiBf9qU
— Bea Cupin (@beacupin) August 4, 2020
If an ordinary citizen can be arrested for posting about an absurd bounty for the president, a person in authority can certainly take shit for suggesting that he might want to kill people who break quarantine.
— Phil Dy (@philbertdy) August 4, 2020
Ludovica, a former councilor, heads the Task Force Disiplina of Quezon City, a group that is supposed to be force multipliers of both social workers and police personnel.
The civilian force enforces and maintains quarantine rules within neighborhoods. This was the same group of people who ganged up on fish vendor Michael Rubuia for failing to wear a face mask.
In his statement on August 4, Ludovica said that there is no policy that prohibits the shooting of lockdown violators and that his comment stemmed from his frustration with the surging coronavirus cases.
“The number of COVID-19 positive cases continue to rise in the city and the whole country because of the absence of discipline for most of our people and their violation of the law,” he said in his statement.
President Rodrigo Duterte has recommended before that violators be shot and killed if necessary.
“My orders to the police and military … if there is trouble or the situation arises where your life is on the line, shoot them dead,
“Understand? Dead. I’ll send you to the grave. … Don’t test the government.” he said during an impromptu national address last April 1.
