MANILA, Philippines — A police investigation is underway on a mass gathering in Cebu that presidential spokesman Harry Roque attended but sanctions over quarantine breaches are out of his hands, the chief of the Philippine National Police said.
Police Gen. Debold Sinas, cleared by President Rodrigo Duterte over a birthday gathering during the Luzon-wide lockdown earlier this year, said regional police directors were told to investigate the incident, along with another in Batangas that involved Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
Related Stories
Roque, who earlier in the year blamed the spread of COVID-19 on "pasaway" or stubborn Filipinos, has said that it is unfair that he was criticized for crowds at the event in Cebu province.
Results of the investigation as well as police recommendations will be sent to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, who will decide on what consequences — if any — there will be for the lack of physical distancing at the events, Sinas told ANC's "Headstart".
Roque has insisted that he had no control over the crowds that gathered in the provincial government's island tour group that he was in over the weekend, and he has chided certain media outlets for their reporting on the issue as well.
Interior chief Año had said in a radio interview that those responsibile for the Cebu incident will be held to account, and he has told officials to no longer push through with events if health protocols will not be properly implemented.
Both the top government spokesman and the boxer-turned-lawmaker said they are open to investigations.
But in the same television interview, Sinas evaded question on how the probe will be done when Roque himself sits at coronavirus task force meetings.
"We are investigating and will make recommendations because that is up to Año on what they will do about it," he said in Filipino. "We do not want to preempt the secretary, we just investigate and present our findings."
Over the course of the health crisis, Duterte has shown support for officials involved in controversies, such as Sinas over his mañanita and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on corruption allegations in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. as well as for his handling of the coronavirus crisis.
Malacañang, in announcing Sinas' appointment as PNP chief, said that he was not off the hook on criminal and administrative charges on his birthday bash. Duterte has since cleared him of liability over the incident.
RELATED: 'By the book': A look at quarantine incidents and police operational procedures
In April, the president told police and military to shoot dead those who would attempt to disrupt public order and violate lockdown measures.
Retired military officer Winston Ragos in the same month was killed by police in Quezon City following a confrontation over quarantine rules.
"We'll just get the facts, the evidence, the statement, the photos and get the side of the organizer and allegations. Then present it to the higher ups for their assessment. That's all," Sinas said of the investigation into the events attended by Roque and by Pacquiao.