Manila Bulletin
Philippines
DILG Sec. Año says San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora not liable for Baguio checkpoint incident
Philippines
DILG Sec. Año says San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora not liable for Baguio checkpoint incident
DILG Sec. Año says San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora not liable for Baguio checkpoint incident
Published Jun 10, 2020 12:00 am
By Chito Chavez
Department of the Interior and Local (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on June 10, Wednesday, exonerated San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora from any liability in relation to the alleged violation of quarantine protocols of his convoy on their way to Baguio City on June 5 based on the initial probe.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año (PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN)
But Año clarified that Zamora may still be implicated if another investigation proves his guilt.
“There is no need so far, unless the current investigation on the escorts would implicate Mayor Zamora that he intentionally ordered not to stop at the checkpoint,’’ Año noted in Twitter, posted on ABS-CBN.
“So far there is no issue on governance or abuse of authority,’’ he added.
Año downplayed the incident, citing that it was merely a miscommunication and arrogance on the part of the PNP escorts.
Zamora has since expressed his public and personal apology to Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong which was readily accepted.
“And I talked to Mayor Magalong and he said he would not file any complaint against Mayor Zamora,’’ Año clarified.
The DILG chief noted that Zamora’s party obliged and still underwent the screening and triage protocols at the City Health Services Offices (CHSO) premises.
The DILG insisted that there was no abuse of authority since there was no proof that Zamora gave direct orders to his police escorts to disregard and pass by the Kennon Road checkpoint.
To recall, Magalong who was in Metro Manila at the time, said he received reports from Baguio City Police Director Col. Allen Rae Co that Zamora’s entourage arrived at the Kennon Road quarantine checkpoint at around 2:30 p.m. in a convoy of six vehicles with uniformed personnel inside.
When the group was flagged down for inspection, Magalong said that the driver of the lead vehicle slowed down and just told the men manning the checkpoint that he was part of the convoy of vehicles tailing his police car before speeding off.
The personnel manning the checkpoint followed the vehicles en route to Baguio Country Club where Zamora’s group failed to present their health clearance.
The blame fell on Zamora’s police escort as Magalong said that the San Juan City police officer who was the lead escort of his city mayor’s convoy committed a serious breach of standing quarantine protocols.
A former police general, Magalong said that Zamora was asleep in his car at the time when the police escort leading his convoy “mindlessly took it on his own to ignore” the border protection measures enforced by the city.
Zamora explained that they went to Baguio City to bring his wife Keri to her family’s old house to rest and recover for her stage 3 breast cancer ailment.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año (PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN)
But Año clarified that Zamora may still be implicated if another investigation proves his guilt.
“There is no need so far, unless the current investigation on the escorts would implicate Mayor Zamora that he intentionally ordered not to stop at the checkpoint,’’ Año noted in Twitter, posted on ABS-CBN.
“So far there is no issue on governance or abuse of authority,’’ he added.
Año downplayed the incident, citing that it was merely a miscommunication and arrogance on the part of the PNP escorts.
Zamora has since expressed his public and personal apology to Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong which was readily accepted.
“And I talked to Mayor Magalong and he said he would not file any complaint against Mayor Zamora,’’ Año clarified.
The DILG chief noted that Zamora’s party obliged and still underwent the screening and triage protocols at the City Health Services Offices (CHSO) premises.
The DILG insisted that there was no abuse of authority since there was no proof that Zamora gave direct orders to his police escorts to disregard and pass by the Kennon Road checkpoint.
To recall, Magalong who was in Metro Manila at the time, said he received reports from Baguio City Police Director Col. Allen Rae Co that Zamora’s entourage arrived at the Kennon Road quarantine checkpoint at around 2:30 p.m. in a convoy of six vehicles with uniformed personnel inside.
When the group was flagged down for inspection, Magalong said that the driver of the lead vehicle slowed down and just told the men manning the checkpoint that he was part of the convoy of vehicles tailing his police car before speeding off.
The personnel manning the checkpoint followed the vehicles en route to Baguio Country Club where Zamora’s group failed to present their health clearance.
The blame fell on Zamora’s police escort as Magalong said that the San Juan City police officer who was the lead escort of his city mayor’s convoy committed a serious breach of standing quarantine protocols.
A former police general, Magalong said that Zamora was asleep in his car at the time when the police escort leading his convoy “mindlessly took it on his own to ignore” the border protection measures enforced by the city.
Zamora explained that they went to Baguio City to bring his wife Keri to her family’s old house to rest and recover for her stage 3 breast cancer ailment.