Actress Angel Locsin on Friday said causing chaos and harm was not her intention in opening a community pantry in Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City and apologized for it.
"Hindi po ito ang gusto ko… Sa mga naabala ko po dito, pasensya na po, hindi po ito ang intensyon ko (This was not what I wanted. For those who I disturbed, I'm really sorry. That was not my intention)," she said in a video posted on her Facebook page.
"Pasensya po talaga, gusto ko lang po i-celebrate itong birthday ko sana… Hindi ko po intensyon na makagulo (I'm really sorry. I just wanted to celebrate my birthday. It was not my intention to cause chaos and disturbance)," she added.
The actress made the statement after her community pantry, which was initiated in celebration of her 36th birthday at a commercial establishment on Don Matias Street, caused violation of social distancing and the death of a 67-year-old male resident who fainted while waiting in line.
She said the opening of the pantry, which was done two hours earlier than scheduled, started "well" and organized despite the long line of people. She added there were also markers to observe social distancing.
"Maayos naman po, may mga stubs naman pong pinamigay (It all started well. Stubs were even distributed)," Locsin said.
"Then, parang habang iniinterview 'yung mga Task Force (Disiplina) parang yung mga wala pong stubs…sumingit po yata sa pila, na naiintindihan ko po kasi kanina pa sila naghihintay, pero yun po yung dahilan kung bakit po nagsiksikan (Then, while members of Task Force Disiplina were being interview, those who had no stubs cut in line, which I understood as they had been in line for hours. And that's the reason why social distancing was no longer observed)," she added.
Locsin also said that there were already barangay and city personnel as well as police and military deployed to the area but the crowd could not be controlled.
Read more: Senior citizen dies as thousands flock to community pantry in Quezon City