Roque, Puyat, others sued for alleged COVID-19 protocol violations

A watchdog group on Tuesday filed complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against two Cabinet members and other personalities for allegedly violating COVID-19 health protocols.

Among the officials were Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, and his father San Juan City Representative Ronaldo Zamora, according to non-government group Pinoy Aksyon.

Complaints were also filed against Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao, Bukidnon Governor Jose Maria Zubiri, Abra Governor Maria Jocelyn Bernos, Mayors Gerry Natanauan of Talisay, Batangas; Rolen Paulino Jr. of Olongapo City; Ernesto Escutin of Dao, Capiz, as well as former Philippine National Police chief Debold Sinas, Noveleta, Cavite Mayor Dino Reyes Chua, Mario Batuigas, owner of the online news site Latigo News TV, and vlogger Amor Virata for various violations of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Republic Act 11469).

Pinoy Aksyon said it sued Roque for allegedly violating restrictions on non-essential travel when he went to Subic, Zambales “to swim with the dolphins” in July 2020.

It also cited Roque’s attendance at an event in Bantayan Island, Cebu in November 2020 during which social distancing was not practiced and the Palace official’s diving trip in Boracay in February this year.

“Clearly, the presidential spokesperson is not only making a mockery of legally mandated minimum public health standards in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he flaunts his power as if he is beyond the rule of law,” Pinoy Aksyon said in a statement.

Puyat brought along a six-year-old girl on a trip to Bohol despite the travel ban on children, the group said, adding the child was photographed without a face mask and face shield during the tour.

Mayor Zamora was sued for supposedly ignoring quarantine protocols in Baguio City in June 2020, while Representative Zamora was accused of violating the Food and Drug Administration’s circular on emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines.

Representative Zamora admitted in June that he got vaccinated with two smuggled Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses in December last year.

“It’s actually a call to action because somebody has to start the ball rolling. We thought that we really need to instill in the public consciousness the need for officials to be accountable at all times,” said Pinoy Aksyon convenor BenCyrus Ellorin in an online press conference.

Ellorin said they intend to file complaints against other individuals in the future.

Roque previously apologized for his Subic trip even as he claimed to have not violated any quarantine protocols.

Mayor Zamora had also apologized after reports of the local police found that he —along with his six-car convoy—disregarded a local checkpoint and instead sped off to the Baguio Country Club (BCC). He said they had no intention of breaking any checkpoint or quarantine protocols of Baguio.

‘We welcome that’

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday denied violating COVID-19 quarantine protocols during his two leisure trips and a meeting held outside Metro Manila.

“Eh di mabuti nang makita ko po, napatunayan na wala po akong nilabag. Lahat po ng ginawa ko sang-ayon sa prevailing quarantine classifications,” Roque said.

(I welcome this because it was proven that I did nothing wrong. Everything I did complied with prevailing quarantine classification in the area.)

“Anyway, we welcome that po para naman may saysay iyong mga gustong manggulo ng gobyerno (so that those who want to mess with the government will be something of use),” Roque added. — Llanesca T. Panti/DVM, GMA News