Howie Severino is apprehended by QC law enforcers for pulling down mask to take a drink

Howie Severino, a COVID-19 suvivor, was finally back to doing normal things, like enjoying a bike ride.

He was doing exactly that on Wednesday morning when he was apprehended by QC law enforcers for pulling down his mask to take a drink.

On Facebook, the Kapuso journalist narrated his experience. He was out riding with photographers Jilson Tiu and Chris Linag, when they decided to stop at a bike shop on Mother Ignacia Avenue. They met photojournalist Luis Liwanag and bought drinks from a shop next door.

"We were all wearing masks. We bought drinks at the store next door, and drank them after pulling down our masks below the mouth (because we have not learned to drink yet with masks on)," he wrote.

Severino pointed out a few facts: There were all wearing masks, they maintained at least four feet distance between them, and they were outdoors, where risk of infection is much lower than indoors.

He returned his bottle to the store "before I could pull my mask back up, when at least three vehicles of QC law enforcers arrived to tell me I was talking without my mask covering my mouth and had to be brought to Amoranto Stadium for a seminar."

In his Facebook post, Liwanag said the seminar was about the "proper use of face masks in public." He estimated the size of the crowd to be at "about hundreds of persons including women and the elderly."

While in Amoranto, Severino explained to a few QC employees that he is a recovered COVID-19 patient. Apart from testing negative three times, he's also tested positive for antibodies.

"I am assuming their intent in taking people to a mass gathering in a stadium is to control the spread of the infection and save lives," Severino said.

Meanwhile, Elmo San Diego of the Quezon City's Department of Public Order and Safety said Severino was able to explain and justify why he pulled his mask down.

He said the veteran journalist was immediately released.

"At the time of apprehension, naibaba na niya 'yung tubig doon sa holder pero sabi kasi niya, 'itataas ko na 'yung aking maskara' so tinanong siya, 'binaba mo ba?' sabi niya, 'oho kasi ho umiinom akong tubig...' That's a valid reason naman na pakawalan siya. Apparently tama 'yung sinabi niya, ni-release siya, di na siya kinasuhan..." he told reporters.

Speaking to GMA News Online, Severino said he  decided not to argue with authorities when he was being apprehended. "Sa totoo lang, I was curious about what will happen," he said.

In his post, Severino said, "I am kind of glad that as QC is an epicenter of the disease in the Philippines, they are finally doing something, even if it’s a bit draconian. I even offered to give a talk at the seminar. Instead they returned my bike and told me I could go home."

Severino went on record, to say that even after writing and making a documentary about getting sick with COVID-19, "the QC LGU did not interview me about my contacts or do any tracing, and did not test anyone in my family or any of my close contacts. I did contact tracing on my own."

In the comments section of his post, Severino was asked if the people attending the seminar in Amoranto "were spaced far apart."

The esteemed journalist simply answered, "nope."

On April 7, Severino shocked the world when he shared in a personal essay published on GMA News Online his COVID-19 battle.

GMA News Online has also reached for the Quezon City Police District's side on the matter but it has yet to reply as of posting time. — with reports from Anna Felicia Bajo/ LA, GMA News