MANILA, Philippines — A senator on Friday said presidential spokesman Harry Roque and Gen. Debold Sinas, national police chief, should face penalties if investigations show that they violated health protocols.
Both Sinas and Roque have been criticized for flouting quarantine rules on multiple occasions, with the former accused of skipping health screening at Oriental Mindoro on the same day it was announced that he contracted COVID-19.
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When asked during an interview with ANC's "Headstart" if Roque and Sinas should face sanctions, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former PNP chief, said: "After due process, yes."
“An investigation is in order [to] find out if there’s really a violation in the health protocols committed by Gen. Sinas, then, by all means, he should be sanctioned as well as Sec. Roque for that matter,"
Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor on Wednesday said Sinas will be liable for charges if the provincial government finds that he breached coronavirus protocols prior to his visit.
Roque is not currently the subject of a probe as he claims that he tested negative for COVID-19 prior to all the trips he took before ultimately contracting the disease.
Why does this matter?
"It is called leadership by example. That's very basic in governance," Lacson said.
He added that he believed the anger expressed by Filipinos online to be justified, saying they "have reason to gripe" because when ordinary citizens commit violations, sanctions or fines are swiftly imposed.
Sinas gained notoriety last May for holding a birthday party amid the stringent lockdown being enforced by police. He has not faced raps for the Mañanita and has even since been promoted to top cop.
Throughout the last year, Roque has been criticized online for his side trips, including a stop at a closed dolphin park last July, when people were told to stay home and go out only when necessary.
He also drew flak for addressing a large crowd during a tourism event with Sen. Manny Pacquiao. Although a probe was opened on the matter, Roque was ultimately cleared by police even though Interior Secretary Eduardo Año previously said he saw "obvious lapses" at the mass gathering.
READ: 'Why me?': Roque laments coverage of him at mass gathering | Roque, who scolds Filipinos for being 'pasaway', justifies 'side trip' to dolphin park
"When top officials are seen by the people committing violations and nothing is being done to sanction or discipline them, then where would that put the government in terms of...setting the example?" Lacson said partially in Filipino.
-- Bella Perez-Rubio