Is Sinas irreplaceable despite mañanita? Palace can't say

The Palace could not say if National Capital Region Police Office chief Police Major General Debold Sinas is irreplaceable even after Sinas and his fellow police officers drew flak over the NCRPO chief's birthday mañanita.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was responding to the question on whether the Palace shares the sentiment of Philippine National Police Chief Archie Gamboa that letting Sinas go would be ill-timed at this moment with the PNP at the forefront of implementing quarantine measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Inaantay po namin ang resulta ng IAS (PNP’s Internal Affairs Service). Palasyo po ang maglalabas ng go order kung sasampahan ng administrative charge si General Sinas,” Roque said. 

“Since Palasyo po ang magde-determine kung makakasuhan o hindi si Sinas, I would rather not comment on that,” Roque added.

Photos of Sinas’ birthday celebration called a mañanita were uploaded on the NCRPO Public Information Office Facebook page. The photos have since been deleted but not before they went viral.

Earlier, Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield (JTF CV Shield) commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said law enforcers such as policemen should lead in following the law for them to become credible.

“No one is above the law. As law enforcers, tayo dapat ang unang susunod sa batas. The police, and all public servants, should have the decency and sensitivity sa ganitong sitwasyon na kinakaharap natin," Eleazar said in a Dobol B sa News TV interview.

“Gawin natin ang tama, may nakakakita man o wala, may camera man o wala, may picture man o wala. Gawin natin ang tama dahil iyon ang magbibigay sa atin ng kredibilidad,” Eleazar added.

The PNP-IAS on Friday filed a criminal complaint against Sinas and 18 other police officers and men over his recent birthday celebration.

The IAS filed a complaint for violation of Republic Act No. 11332 or the law on the mandatory reporting of notifiable diseases and health events of public concern as well as for violation of Taguig City's ordinance requiring the wearing of face masks and physical distancing. 

Sinas earlier apologized for the incident. —KG, GMA News