First Person Killed in the Philippines for Violating Quarantine

A 63-year-old man was shot dead Thursday in the Philippines after threatening village officials and police, becoming the first reported case of a police shooting a civilian for refusing to follow quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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"The suspect was cautioned by a village health worker ... for not wearing a face mask," the police report informed on Saturday, adding that "the suspect got angry, uttering provoking words and eventually attacked the personnel using a scythe." 

The man was allegedly drunk when he threatened village officials and police manning the checkpoint in the town of Nasipit in the southern province of Agusan del Norte, the officers then shot him. 

On Wednesday Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered that law enforcement officials shoot those who violate the strict quarantine imposed to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I will not hesitate. My orders are to the police and military […] that if there is trouble or the situation arises that people fight and your lives are on the line, shoot them dead. Do you understand?" Duterte said during a press conference in Manila.

For their part, the human rights defenders and civil groups denounced the president's words Thursday, which were quickly spread by social networks, where the hashtag #OustDuterte has been trending since Wednesday night.

"We are seriously alarmed that the President's words will translate to worse and more brutal forms of human rights violations, repression, and State violence in the days to come," human rights organization Karapatan said.

As of Sunday, there are 3,246 cases in the Philippines and over 150 deaths.