INATASAN kagabi ni Pangulong Duterte si Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu na magtungo sa Cebu sa harap naman ng nakakaalarmang kaso ng coronavirus disease (COVID-19) sa lalawigan.
“Ang Cebu ngayon ang may problema. May problema sila. Alam mo kasi ‘pag may problema tapunan na ‘yan eh. If you solve the problem locally amongst the officials there, there’s bound to be a derailment in the programs of government because they would start to blame each other and nobody would try to introduce novel ideas or even to implement one that is already — a measure that is already of proven efficacy kasi nagsisisihan na,” sabi ni Duterte sa kanyang public address.
Idinagdag ni Duterte na ito’y para maiwasan ang pagsisihan ng mga opsiyal ng lokal na pamahalaan.
“So, mga kaigsuonan nako sa Cebu, both sa mga siyudad og probinsya, akong ipadala si General Cimatu (to my brothers and sisters in Cebu, both in the city and the provinces, I will send over General Cimatu,” ayon pa kay Duterte.
Nauna nang ibinalik ang enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) sa Cebu City at modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) sa Talisay City dahil sa mga kaso ng COVID.
“Then itong ‘yung office ni Secretary Cimatu would be an adjunct to that body. So, he will exercise all the powers of that body upon notifying (Defense Secretary Delfin) General Lorenzana who heads the agency. All he has to do not for permission but just to advise Manila here that these things are being done, these things are not yet done and these things must be done,” ayon pa kay Duterte.
Ani Duterte nais niyang malaman kung gaano kalala ang sitwasyon ng COVID sa probinsya.
“But nonetheless, kaya natin ‘yan and I am sure Cimatu… He cannot solve the problem on his own. He has just to make recommendations and let us know what we should be doing and that is very important. It’s part really of the intelligence work of any organization to know what is ahead and behind and on the side so that you’d know how to prepare and go and fight the enemy — COVID,” ayon pa kay Duterte.