Año on Koko Pimentel’s MMC ‘trip’: ‘‘Wag mong i-violate ang quarantine mo’

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III clearly committed a mistake when he accompanied his pregnant wife to Makati Medical Center even if he needs to be on self-quarantine after subjecting himself to a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Thursday.

Año, the vice chairman of the national action plan meant to enforce efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, said he leaves it up to the Department of Justice to act on Pimentel's breach of infection and containment protocols of the hospital.

"I agree na mali 'yung ginawa niya kasi nag-violate siya... the mere fact na nagpa-test siya, pati si Cong. Yap, the mere fact na nagpa-test kayo ay PUI (person under investigation) kayo eh, so 'wag mong i-violate 'yung quarantine mo dahil ito nga unnecessarily madaming napahamak," Año said.

"Dapat talaga tayo mag-stay at home, 'yan talaga 'yan... that's the reason why we are actually telling all people to stay at home kasi unwittingly merong ganyang mga pagkakataon na hindi mo alam eh, kausap mo ang lakas-lakas pero carrier pala," he explained.

He said Pimentel's case is a reminder to other government officials to just stay and work from home.

On Wednesday, Pimentel announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19, saying he was only informed about it late Tuesday evening.

The senator said he had accompanied his wife to the hospital on Tuesday but immediately left after learning of the COVID-19 test result.

The Makati Medical Center strongly condemned the senator's actions, saying that he just added to "the burden of a hospital trying to respond in its most competent and aggressive manner to cope with the daunting challenges of this COVID-19 outbreak."

Pimentel has since apologized to the hospital regarding the matter. — RSJ, GMA News