MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday floated the possibility of having authorities take over hotels to address the lack of hospital beds, but said this is “not a remedy desired in a democratic state.”
“I can order the authorities to take over the operations of hotels kung wala na talagang mga kama. Madali iyan. Hindi talaga problema yan [if no more available beds. That’s easy. That would not be a problem],” Duterte said in a pre-recorded address.
“When we are pushed to the wall even by the microbe itself or external, internal, I can always order the military and the police to go there and confiscate the operations of hotels. And even the medicines, I ca…
Keep on reading: Duterte: Authorities may take over hotels, but it’s not a ‘remedy’ in a democracy