By Rey Panaligan
Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay Villar has been undergoing 14 days of self-quarantine after her husband, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, had interacted with a person who was tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Emmeline Aglipay-Villar (Emmeline Aglipay-Villar Facebook / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra confirmed on Sunday, March 15, Undersecretary Villar’s self-quarantine since March 12 "although she has not manifested any symptoms of COVID-19."
Guevarra said all the tasks assigned to Undersecretary Villar has been, in the meantime, delegated to the DOJ’s assistant secretaries.
“She has been in quarantine since Thursday, I think. Her quarantine would be at least two weeks. But we have assistant secretaries ready to pinch-hit for her,” Guevarra said.
“As you may know, Usec Villar has health concerns ever since, but she’s generally OK. She is just being extra careful,” he added.
Undersecretary Villar had admitted that since age 25 she had been diagnosed with lupus, “a systemic autoimmune disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs.”
Guevarra, himself, recruited Undersecretary Villar to join the DOJ in 2018.
She had served the House of Representatives as a three-term representative of the Diwa Party-List.