Roque ribs Vico Sotto on Oplan Kalinga: Nagpapasundo ang mga kababaihan

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. has turned to humor amid concerns on the government’s house-to-house searches for people who have been infected with COVID-19.

During his regular press conference on Thursday, Roque said he received a lot of messages, especially from women, stating that they wanted Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, who took part in the briefing as a resource person, to fetch them from their homes.

“Ang dami na pong text message nagpapasundo po karamihan mga kababaihan sa inyo. So, uulitin po natin: Hindi po manunundo ng mga kababaihan si Mayor Sotto,” the Palace official said.

Roque later asked Sotto, who participated via video conference, to give a message, but the 31-year-old mayor did not respond.

“Mayor, ang dami-dami ng text messages nagbibigay ng mga address kung saan niyo sila puwedeng sunduin. Ano pong mensahe ninyo sa mga gustong magpasundo sa inyo, Mayor Vico?” the Palace official said.

“Nawala na yata si Mayor. But anyway, maraming, maraming salamat Mayor Vico Sotto.”

Under the Oplan Kalinga, local health officials will lead house-to-house search for mild and asymptomatic cases and later transfer them to isolation facilities. The program, however, has raised concerns as policemen will be tapped to assist in the implementation.

Roque clarified that the police will only provide assistance in the transport of patients and the implementation of a lockdown in an affected area.

Sotto, meanwhile, assured his constituents that the city government will look after the well-being of those under facility-based quarantine.

“May movie night kami para sa kanila para malaman din ng mga ibang asymptomatic and positive na, ‘Ay, okay pala diyan. Okay pala ma-centralized quarantine, hindi pala iyan parang nakakulong ako. Okay palang ma-admit diyan,’” the mayor said.

“Hindi man super saya siyempre nalayo ka sa pamilya mo pero naaalagaan ka kapag nandoon ka sa centralized quarantine. May mga pa-Zumba, may pa-bingo.” -MDM, GMA News