MANILA, Philippines (Update 1, 6:20 p.m.) — The Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service has filed criminal and administrative cases against National Capital Region Police Office chief Debold Sinas and 18 other subordinates at the Taguig Prosecutor's Office.
In line with the ban on mass gatherings, the police body was previously ordered to investigate the circumstances of the Metro Manila police director’s controversial birthday celebration.
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"[T]he investigation found that some of the pictures that went viral in social media platforms on May 12, 2020 were indeed taken in front of the quarters of [Sinas] inside Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City, during his birthday on May 8, 2020," read the PNP-IAS memorandum dated Thursday.
The celebration was found in violation of the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act (Republic Act 11332) and Taguig City Ordinance 12, which mandated social distancing and wearing of face masks.
The mass gathering was also determined to constitute the administrative offenses of “less grave neglect of duty” and “less grave misconduct.”
Aside from Sinas, the 18 other respondents facing charges are five brigadier generals, eight colonels, one lieutenant colonel, two majors and two corporals. — With reports from Franco Luna