DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla Issues Public Apology Over Improper Enforcement of Ordinance
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla has issued an apology over improper ordinance enforcement in Mandaluyong City.
The Interior Secretary has issued an apology following an incident where a man was fined for being shirtless while mixing cement outside his home in Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City.
The incident quickly gained public attention and raised concerns about how local ordinances are being enforced.
According to Remulla, the action taken against the man was not appropriate for the situation. He explained that while rules are in place to maintain order, they should always be applied with proper understanding and consideration of the context.
The man was simply working outside his own home, which did not call for strict enforcement. The incident was connected to the government’s Safer Cities Initiative, a program that aims to improve peace and order in communities.
However, Remulla admitted that there was a lack of clear guidance on how the rules should be properly carried out. Because of this, some officers may have misunderstood how to apply the ordinance.
The official took full responsibility for the confusion and admitted that clearer instructions should have been given from the start. He also shared that efforts are now being made to correct this mistake and prevent similar incidents from happening again.
“Nagkulang po ako roon. Ang tanging hangarin ko ay patahimikin ang mga kalye. Ngunit dahil sa kakulangan ng aking paliwanag, kahit sino na lang basta walang t-shirt ay siyang dinampot. Nagkamali po kami roon and I take full responsibility,” he explained.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government is now working on providing clearer and more detailed guidelines to police officers. The goal is to ensure that laws are enforced fairly, without violating the rights and dignity of citizens.
Remulla also expressed his intention to personally apologize to the man involved. He emphasized that while maintaining public order is important, it should never come at the cost of common sense and respect for individuals.
The social media users expressed their reactions to the incident:
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