Mañanita complaint languishes in Taguig prosecutor’s office

MANILA, Philippines — Nothing has yet come out of the complaints filed against Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas, who has been promoted to head the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The STAR learned from an insider that the Taguig City prosecutor’s office has not resolved the complaint filed against him and two other generals in May by the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS) in connection with his holding a “mañanita” or birthday party on May 8 in violation of the rule against mass gatherings under Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

Sinas, a two-star general, was then head of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). He is set to take over the top PNP post from Gen. Camilo Cascolan, who is retiring this month.

Metro Manila was then under the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status when the alleged violation was committed.

As evidence, the IAS used the photos posted on NCRPO’s Facebook page, which were eventually deleted in the wake of public outrage over the quarantine violation by the ranking police official.

Sinas is also facing complaints filed by the family of a retired policeman who he allegedly harassed and tried to evict from their house near the NCRPO’s Regional District Support Unit (RDSU) building in Taguig City.

Sinas personally led a group of policemen who tried to evict retired policeman Arnel delos Santos and his family from their property, which the PNP official said would be developed into a quarantine facility for the police force.

Delos Santos’ family filed charges against Sinas for violation of domicile, grave coercion and harassment before the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

The violation of domicile complaint was based on a memorandum by the Department of the Interior and Local Government stating that demolition and eviction activities be postponed.

Sought for update on the case, Delos Santos’ son Arles told The STAR that there is “no progress until now.”

“The latest that we heard was that the case was still for investigation,” he said.

Sinas and other police officials surrounded Delos Santos’ house and made threatening moves to force them to leave. The incident was caught on video.

But Sinas claimed the family “illegally occupied” the RDSU building’s motorpool area and “refused” to leave.