A governance watch-dog said on Tuesday, Sept. 7, it filed charges before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) against Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Debold Sinas, and other government officials for “violating health and safety protocols” amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a statement sent to journalists covering the OMB, Pinoy Aksyon convenor Ben Cyrus G. Ellorin said they filed charges against Roque for “violating quarantine restrictions on non-essential travel when he went to Subic to ‘swim with dolphins’ in July 2020; diving in Boracay in Feb. 2021; and conducted a public meeting without observing social distancing in Bantayan, Cebu in Nov. 2020.”
“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,” Aksyon Pinoy said.
The group said it sued Secretary Puyat for violating quarantine protocols when she reportedly brought along her six-year-old daughter in a trip to Bohol despite government’s travel ban on minors.
Sinas, who retired on May 8, 2021, was also impleaded for his “Mañanita” or birthday party inside the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) headquarters which was held during the pandemic. It can be recalled that the former PNP chief apologized for what transpired in his birthday party.
Aksyon Pinoy said it also filed charges against San Juan City Mayor Francisco Javier “Francis” Manlapit Zamora for allegedly violating quarantine protocols in Baguio City in June 2020.
Mayor Zamora’s father, San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, was accused by the group of violating Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Circular No. 2020-036 or the Guidelines on the issuance of emergency use authorization for drugs and vaccines.
The elder Zamora admitted getting vaccinated with Sinopharm in Dec. 2020, way ahead of the roll-out of the government’s national vaccination program.
The group lamented that poor people have no access to COVID-19 vaccines, while the congressman got four doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
“Si Cong. Zamora, apat na yatang bakuna ang na inject, samantalang ang mga pobre namumuti na ang mga mata sa kahihintay ng bakuna (Congressman Zamora has reportedly got four vaccines while poor people have been desperately waiting to be vaccinated),” it said.
The group said it also filed charges against Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadiao, Bukidnon Gov. Jose Maria Zubiri, Abra Gov. Maria Jocelyn V. Bernas, Mayors Gerry B. Natanauan of Talisay, Batangas; Rolen Paulino Jr. of Olongapo City; Ernesto P. Escutin of Dao, Capiz for various violation of Republic Act No. 11469, the Bayanihan Heal as One Act.
“Panahon na, to hold our public officials to account (It is high time to hold our public officials to account) At least make our legal system work against impunity in whatever forms,” Ellorin stressed in the press statement.