DILG: NCRPO chief Sinas' birthday celebration was a mañanita, not deliberate partying

National Capital Region Police Office chief Police Major General Debold Sinas and his fellow policemen did not willfully violate quarantine protocols when they celebrated Sinas’ birthday this week, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Wednesday.

Año was referring to Sinas’ birthday celebration where the policemen gathered for a feast even if existing enhanced community quarantine prohibits mass gathering, including parties. 

“Hindi matatawag na birthday party iyon. Mañanita iyon, tradition sa military and police, na kapag birthday ng commander, binabati ng happy birthday at the early break of the morning,” Año said during a Palace briefing.

“Hindi talaga siya party. Hindi siya deliberate partying,” he added. 

The Interior secretary, however, conceded that such mass gathering should not have happened while the enhanced community quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It is uncalled for, kaya nga sabi ko, dapat mag-delicadeza,” Año said.

“I leave it to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct an investigation,” Año added.

The PNP is under the jurisdiction of DILG.

PNP chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa directed the Internal Affairs Service to conduct a probe into the birthday celebration.

Sinas has earlier justified the conduct of his birthday party celebration, saying that the guests observed social distancing. 

He, however, did not mention that his birthday party is a mass gathering that is prohibited under the enhanced community quarantine. —KG, GMA News