An armed police officer patrols a public market in the Philippines where wearing face masks and face shields is mandatory amid the pandemic. Photo: Reuters
Filipinos breaking Covid-19 rules risk beatings, humiliation – unless they’re rich or well-connected
- Wealthy and political elites escape punishment for flouting antivirus restrictions, as the poorest are subject to ‘cruel’, ‘degrading’ penalties
- While such inequality has long been rife in the Philippines’ ‘semi-feudal society’, a ‘call-out culture’ is beginning to emerge, one analyst said
An armed police officer patrols a public market in the Philippines where wearing face masks and face shields is mandatory amid the pandemic. Photo: Reuters
