No malice behind posting of mañanita photos -Sinas

Metro Manila's top cop, Police Major General Debold Sinas, on Thursday said there is no malice behind the posting of photos of his mañanita last May 8.

In a television interview, Sinas said he already talked to his staff member who uploaded the photos on the official page of the NCRPO's Public Information Office. The post has since been deleted, but the photos have since gone viral.

"Tinanong ko na rin 'yung PIO namin na nag-post doon, ayoko na rin pagalitan 'yun... ang sabi natuwa din siya dahil during that time, 'yun naman ang trabaho nila, mag-post ng activities. Wala naman daw siyang malice atsaka masamang intention kasi nakita naman niya na nago-observe ng social distancing," Sinas told CNN.

Sinas also maintained that some of the photos were grabbed from old posts. He specifically cited the photo,\ showing he and other personnel sitting around a table with what looked like alcoholic drinks, saying the photo was taken last November.

He said it was just a coincidence that he was wearing the same orange shirt because it was his favorite.

"Maraming photos na nag-circulate, di ko alam kung paninira o ano... na-trace na po namin, isang kaibigan namin na nag-post siya na nag-greet sa atin at inamin naman po niya na 'yung picture na 'yan ay di po included doon," Sinas said.

"Kung makita mo ang mga buhok namin mahahaba pa... pangalawa ni isa walang mask. It so happen lang na 'yung T-shirt diyan at T-shirt ko pareho, paborito ko po ang T-shirt na 'yun eh... di ko naman in-expect na ganoon ang nangyari," he added.

On May 8, Sinas and other police officers celebrated his birthday despite the strict enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine.

According to Interior Secretary Eduardo  Año, the gathering was not a party but a mañanita, a tradition of the military and police in which commanders are greeted with a happy birthday at the break of dawn.

Sinas has apologized for the incident but said the guests were "told to observe social distancing and other precautionary health measures," despite photos that appear to show otherwise.

The Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police is already investigating the incident. --KBK, GMA News