THE Davao City Police Office has filed criminal cases against 2,414 individuals for not wearing face masks, a violation of Davao City Ordinance No. 0307-20.
City Police Director Alberto Lupaz those who were charged were among the 10,147 who were issued citation tickets between January and last week of last month.
Lupaz said 2,861 were able to pay the fines, while actions on the remaining cases have yet to be resolved.
“Binibigyan natin sila ng three to five days to pay. If they cannot pay within three to five days we will commence the filing of cases against them,” Lupaz said, adding, “the prescriptive period of the offense is two months so as much as possible they file the cases within 15 days to one month after the violator fails to pay within 5 days.”
Under the ordinance, anyone arrested for not wearing a face mask pays a fine of P500 for first offense, P2,000 for second offense; and P5,000 or one-month imprisonment for the third offense.
Lupaz said the implementation of the ordinance is smooth even if some of those who were issued citation tickets have yet to pay.
“Ang problem na nasalubong namin is the filing of cases kasi as of now 7,286 ang hindi nakabayad. Napag-usapan na namin sa Monday Conference ng COVID-19 Task Force on how we can monitor and push people to pay their obligation in terms of this violation,” he said as those that have yet to pay the fines are tasked to visit the City Treasurers’ Office or their District Treasurer’s Office to settle their obligations.
