Nancy Binay slams officials over failure to observe health protocols

Senator Nancy Binay on Monday slammed public officials who failed to observe health protocols even as cases of COVID-19 in the country are on the rise.

In a statement, Binay denounced national leaders who make a full display of the "ningas-cogon" attitude and forget that the threat of COVID-19 was still high.

She also lamented that the country seems to not have progressed one year into the lockdown, and that the recommendations being proposed by authorities to open up the economy seem to create an impression that the Philippines is back to normal, "which is not the case."

“How can we expect people to consciously follow health protocols when even our national and local government officials do not conscientiously follow minimum health protocols?" Binay said.

"Kahit anong curfew o liquor ban ang gawin, if we see people in government freely traveling to beaches and resorts, and organizing public gatherings as if everything is back to normal, talagang magre-relax din ang mga tao,” she added.

("No matter how many curfews or liquor bans we impose, if we see people in government freely traveling to beaches and resorts, and organizing public gatherings as if everything is back to normal, people would really relax.")

Binay pointed out that national leaders were sending the wrong signal to the public every time they come on television and trivialize the continued rise of COVID-19 cases in the country, assuring everyone that things are slowly going back to normal just because the vaccines are available.

“'Wag sanang ningas-cogon—'yung sa umpisa lang tayo masigasig, tapos dedma na. No matter how long we impose curfews, or even considering enacting ordinances as an institutional response to abate the surge of COVID cases, lahat yan 'di magiging effective if we continue to display a relaxed atmosphere in the midst of a worsening public health crisis,” she said.

("I hope this is not just ningas-cogon --- where we are only observing protocols at the start and then it goes away. No matter how long we impose curfews, or even considering enacting ordinances as an institutional response to abate the surge of COVID cases, they will not be effective if we continue to display a relaxed atmosphere in the midst of a worsening public health crisis.")

"Dapat munang ayusin ng IATF at ng Palasyo ay ang ‘messaging,' because the varying, irrelevant, and inconsistent messaging creates public confusion, and damages whatever gains we have had in the fight against COVID," she added.

("The IATF and the Palace should fix its 'messaging,' because the varying, irrelevant, and inconsistent messaging creates public confusion, and damages whatever gains we have had in the fight against COVID.")

Binay's remark came after Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas was accused of skipping health protocols when he visited Oriental Mindoro on Thursday last week.

Sinas was confirmed to have been infected with the COVID-19 on the same day.

PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana, however, maintained that Sinas takes swab tests and observes health protocols but still contracted COVID-19.

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Sunday said Sinas' alleged failure to observe health protocols must be investigated.

Senator Francis Pangilinan also believed that Sinas should explain and undergo administrative proceedings over claims that he violated health protocols.

"He should be held to account. He should be made to explain and be subjected to precisely administrative proceedings even if he is the PNP chief," Pangilinan said in an ANC interview on Monday.

"No public official is above the law," he added. — DVM, GMA News