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President Rodrigo Duterte has reminded local government units that there is only one Republic of the Philippines and they should abide by the protocols being laid down by the national government in addressing the coronavirus disease pandemic.

In his taped televised message, which was first aired at around 1:22am on Friday, Duterte warned that failure of the LGUs to follow the directives could lead to their facing administrative or even criminal charges.

"Now I call (upon) LGUs. The national government needs your help during this time, but I want to tell you: Do not make this quarantine or quarantine more difficult for our people than it already is. LGUs should take note of this --- that at this time let us make ourselves clear that we are not a separate from a republic or from each other," he said.

"There is only one republic here, the Republic of the Philippines. And therefore, you should abide by the directives of the national government when it sets abide by the directives of the whole for the good of the country and the protocols observed during the time of the lockdown," Duterte stressed.

He said what is being enforced, particularly in the entire Luzon, including Metro Manila, is not just a quarantine.

"I think that we are already in the stage of a lockdown simply because the contagion continues to take its toll in the countryside," he said.

While he knew the mandate of the LGUs being a mayor of Davao City for 23 years, Duterte, however, said the country is facing is an emergency.

"Therefore, it is the national government that should call the shots," he said.

He said that the body in charge of laying down the standards for quarantine is the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

"Let me be clear to everyone. So when the IATF says: 'Do not restrict the flow of cargo of whatever type', then no LGU should say that they only follow or allow food or essential goods to come in. You are setting already your standards, and making this quarantine more difficult for all," he said.

"I am ordering all LGUs that are doing this to stand down, and to abide by the directives of the IATF, the task force not mine but the task force, and those issued by the Office of the President. And to make sure that what the IATF says should be closed, is closed, and those that should be open, stays open," Duterte added.

Duterte directed the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Justice to closely monitor the compliance of the LGUs with the directives of the national government and "to file the necessary cases against wayward officials."

"If you go beyond the standards that we have set, you are abusing your authority, and you know that it can lead to ? administrative cases or even worse, unless you stop what you are doing and [cooperate] fully. Criminal cases cannot be far behind," he said.

Duterte issued the reminder and warning after some local chief executives earlier tried to defy the order of the national government.

One instance was in Pasig City when Mayor Vico Sotto initially allowed tricycles to ferry some passengers despite the quarantine. But he later heeded the national government's directives. Celerina Monte/DMS