Pasay councilor says he is mad with city health office, not health workers, when he shouted at them

Pasay City councilor Arnel “Moti” Arceo on Monday clarified he was frustrated with the city health office and not the medical workers conducting rapid testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the city's session hall when he shouted at them.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, Arceo admitted that what he did was wrong, however, he noted that his frustration was directed towards the Pasay City Health Office. Arceo claimed that he and other councilors were not informed of the rapid testing.

"Hindi dapat sa loob ng city hall ginawa ang testing center. Bulwagan po kasi 'yan eh, may mga empleyado... puntahan po ng tao 'yan. Naniniwala ako na nagkaroon ng kakulangan sa pagi-ingat,” he said.

"Hindi ko po sinisisi 'yung ating mga med tech... ang aking frustration nga talaga ay sa aming city health office, headed by Dr. (Cesar) Encinares, dahil sila po dapat 'yung pangunahing ahensya sa local government na dapat nangangalaga at nagbibigay ng tamang payo sa ganitong mga bagay," he added.

"Hindi po kami nasabihan kaya nga po ako nabigla eh, natakot sa nakita ko. Papaano na kung mayroong nagpositive sa isinagawa nilang test sa city hall," he further said.

Arceo said he is ready to face the consequences of his actions as he admitted his mistake of screaming at the health workers.

"Nagkamali po ako Dr. (Ronaldo) Puno at sa inyong mga kasama, alam ko inaamin ko at ako'y handang harapin ang consequence sa pagkakamaling 'yan. Nakapagmura po ako pero wala po akong minurang tao, nakasigaw ako and expression po siguro ng galit at frustration sa nakita ko," Arceo said.

"Narinig ko 'yung turing ni doctor kanina na dumaan sa risk assessment eh sana huwag na nating padaanin 'yan sa risk assessment, i-maximum na po natin ang pagi-ingat," he added.

On Sunday, the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists, Inc. (PAMET) denounced Arceo's actions, noting that what he did was "a form of maltreatment, harassment, and discrimination of health care professionals amid the coronavirus pandemic."

“‘Wag nating pabayaang tuluyang sumuko ang ating mga health care workers hindi dahil sa COVID-19 virus, kung hindi dahil sa posibleng pagbaba ng moral dahil sa mga ganitong mga pangyayari,” PAMET president Dr. Ronaldo Puno said.

Arceo then reiterated his apology to the association and to those medical technologists who had conducted the rapid testing.

"Ulitin ko po ang paghingi ko ng paumanhin sa mga medical technologists, sa PAMET, Dr. Puno, pakihatid po ang aking paumanhin, sinsero po ito. Wala po akong galit sa mga med tech, galit po sa sitwasyon na nakita ko. 'Yun po ang totoo," Arceo said.

Arceo said the local government of Pasay City would have a meeting regarding the incident. —AOL, GMA News