2 solons belie reports health protocols not observed during meeting attended by Lapeña

Two members of the House of Representatives on Friday said health protocols were not violated during a recent meeting attended by Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) Director Isidro Lapeña, who had been tested positive for COVID-19.

DIWA party-list Representative Mike Aglipay and 1-Pacman party-list Representative Mikee Romero were reacting to reports stating that health protocols were not observed during a meeting with Lapeña and other members of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association, Inc. (PMAAI) in a hotel in Taguig City on November 20.

“When we met, we followed the health protocols as written in IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) rules and [the] hotel put us in a 200 square meter function room one meter apart, wearing masks,” Aglipay said.

He said the protocols were implemented by the hotel “without any exemptions.”

Likewise, Aglipay said that those present in the meeting had themselves tested for COVID-19.

“Nobody was positive [for COVID-19] because we wore masks and [observed] social distancing,” he said.

Romero echoed Aglipay and noted that he immediately got himself tested with antigen and RT-PCR test.

“I self-quarantined immediately after I learned about TESDA Chief Lapeña being exposed [to COVID-19]. I did all the safety protocol, including 3 swab antigen tests and 2 PCR tests thereafter which all Resulted negative. Doctors at Makati Medical gave me clearance after those tests,” he said.

Aglipay said the meeting was hosted by his father, former Philippine National Police chief Edgar Aglipay, to foster good relationship between the members of the executive and legislative branches of government.

Apart from the Aglipay, Romero and Lapeña, others present in the meeting include Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Information Secretary Gregorio Honasan, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Carlito Galvez, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and House Secretary General Dong Mendoza.

Lapeña has earlier said he has already tested negative for COVID-19 but will through with the prescribed quarantine. --Llanesca T. Panti/KBK, GMA News