Roque apologizes for ‘offending’ netizens

MANILA, Philippines  — Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. yesterday expressed belief that he did not violate any quarantine protocols when he went to a resort and swam with the dolphins.

At a virtual press briefing yesterday, Roque maintained his trip to Bataan Wednesday was justified because he needed to check on some of his personal businesses with the start of modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) in the province.

“It was my first time to go back yesterday afternoon since it was the first day of MGCQ because I also have some fears. I distributed some PPE in our hospitals in Bataan, but I did not really go home,” he said, referring to personal protective equipment.

Roque said he needed to inspect his business ventures, which were drastically affected by the lockdown.

Roque apologized to the people if he may have offended them with his actions.

“So, I did not violate any regulation. Although, I recognize that there are others who might have been offended when they saw the pictures,” he said.

Roque has been the subject of criticism this week after he “congratulated” the Philippines for not posting 40,000 cases of COVID-19, as projected by a team of UP experts last month.

He maintained also that he was not fighting the opinion of the experts but only illustrating how Filipinos are winning the fight months after the lockdown began last March 15.

Roque also admitted he asked if the beach resort was already open since it was the first day of MGCQ. He then decided to pass by a beach resort and leisure park which featured dolphins. “So I said, ‘why not?’ since it is near the areas I visited,” he said.

Roque said he has been accredited as an Authorized Person Outside Residence (APOR) by the government task force against coronavirus.

“So, as far as my trip there is concerned, I have been an APOR because I am in the food business, which is not actually selling right now due to the circumstances,” he said.

“I think the constitutional prohibition should not be construed in a way that it would be impossible to comply with,” he said, adding his piggery business is also affected by the African swine fever.

Roque said he observed protocols since under GCQ, swimming is allowed because it is a non-contact sport, and that he kept himself socially distant except from the dolphins.

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