Eleazar: Police should be decent, law-abiding with or without cameras on

The police, as law enforcers, should lead by example by following the law, Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield Commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said Friday.

Eleazar made the statement after National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Police Major General Debold Sinas and his fellow policemen drew flak after photos of the mañanita staged for the metropolitan police force commander’s birthday last week went viral online.

The gathering, held amid the prevailing enhanced community quarantine, seemed to have violated the prohibition on mass gathering.

“No one is above the law. As law enforcers, tayo dapat ang unang susunod sa batas,” Eleazar said in a Dobol B sa News TV interview.

“The police, and all public servants, should have the decency and sensitivity sa ganitong sitwasyon na kinakaharap natin. Gawin natin ang tama, may nakakakita man o wala, may camera man o wala, may picture man o wala,” Eleazar added.

Photos of Sinas’ birthday party were uploaded on the NCRPO Public Information Office Facebook page. The photos have since been deleted.

Sinas claimed the photos that went viral were edited. He also apologized but maintained that no quarantine violations were committed.

“Gawin natin ang tama dahil iyon ang magbibigay sa atin ng kredibilidad,” Eleazar said.

Likewise, Eleazar said the PNP does not engage in double standard as shown by the ongoing police probe on Sinas and the Palace announcing that criminal charges are being readied against Sinas and his fellow cops who violated quarantine rules.

Aside from mass gathering, physical distancing and wearing face masks have become a requirement due to the COVID-19 threat.

Those present in Sinas’ party were seen without face masks while getting their food and having alcoholic beverages. — Llanesca T. Panti/RSJ, GMA News