Manila, April 16 -- President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night broached the idea of turning hotels into isolation facilities for individuals infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In a taped public address, Duterte said he could wield his police power to take over the hotels' operations if the Covid-19 situation in the country worsens.
"I am not without power. When we are pushed to the wall, either by the microbe itself or by external, internal, I can always order the military and the police to go there and confiscate the operation of the hotels," he said.
Duterte said he would not hesitate to order the conversion of hotels into Covid-19 facilities, in case National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer Secreta...