Sotto says gov't officials violating quarantine protocols must be reprimanded

Government officials must not be exempted from being reprimanded or penalized for quarantine violations, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Wednesday, amid the controversial mañanita of a ranking police official.

"Kung ang mga pangkaraniwang mamamayan natin ay sinisita natin at pinagsasabihan natin kapag ito'y nagba-violate, dapat tayong mga opisyales din ay sisistahin kapag nagba-violate," Sotto said in a virtual interview with reporters.

He said the execution of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, including its penal provision, is already in the hands of the executive department.

Sotto said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Police Major General Debold Sinas' mañanita does not set a good example to the public amid the health crisis.

"Hindi maganda, kung totoong party. Hindi maganda at hindi tama. Kung hindi naman party... ito raw ay may mga nag-mañanita, siguro sandali lang 'yun but then again if social distancing is not practiced, hindi mabuti iyon," he said.

"It does not give a good example to our countrymen," he added.

Sotto said the Philippine National Police (PNP) could also mete out other disciplinary actions.

"Mayroong sariling rules of procedures kasi ang Philippine National Police. They can perhaps discuss the possibility of filing an administrative complaint against an erring official," he said.

The supposed birthday celebration also did not sit well with Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former PNP chief.

"More than the quarantine violation, from whatever direction we look at the incident, it projects a bad example, coming even from those tasked to enforce the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine)," Lacson said in a separate message.

"Social gathering clearly has its price health-wise, considering the tricky nature of the COVID-19 virus," he added.

Sinas already apologized for what happened during his birthday last May 8 but claimed that some of the photos of the event circulating online were "edited and grabbed from old posts."

Senator Francis Pangilinan, meanwhile, said a simple apology won't do.

"Kung maaari ang sorry sa hepe ng PNP eh di dapat puwede din ang sorry sa lahat ng mga kinulong nila. Kung may paglabag dapat kasuhan," he said.

"Habang nagtitiis ang milyon nating mga kababayan na sumunod sa quarantine at inaaresto, kinakasuhan at kinukulong ang libu-libo, heto nalang si Sinas at iba pang matataas na opisyal na hinahayaan ng gobyernong lumabag sa quarantine na walang parusa. Maling mali," Pangilinan added.

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela, a former PNP chief, meanwhile welcomed the decision of the PNP to investigate the matter.

"I heard that the PNP leadership has directed IAS (Internal Affairs Service) to conduct an investigation so it is a good move by the PNP," he said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he will ask the National Bureau of Investigation to look into possible quarantine protocol violations committed during the birthday celebration of Sinas. --KBK, GMA News