By Ben Rosario Administration and opposition congressmen both decried today the move of the Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) to investigate Vice President Leni Robredo for allegedly soliciting donations aimed at undermining efforts of the Duterte administration to battle the COVID-19 public health threat. Lawmakers believe there is an air of bad politics in the PACC’s decision to ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to initiate the probe of Robredo’s alleged wrongdoing. Robredo is the second opposition politician to be targeted for a government probe for the supposed commission of unlawful acts as the Duterte administration carries out a determined bid to hold off the COVID-19 onslaught. Earlier, the NBI summoned Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto to explain why he should not be charged for allowing the operation of tricycles in the city despite a government-imposed ban on public transportation during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. “Will the NBI pls stop this stupidity. They should run after hoarders of medical equipment such as masks, PPEs (personal protective equipment), gloves, among others,” Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor said in a press statement. Defensor was joined by fellow Malacañang allies Reps. Nina Taduran (ACT Teachers Party-list) and Alfredo Garbin (Ako Bicol Party-list) in assailing the PACC and NBI moves against opposition personalities. “They should stop investigating people trying to help, less it is perceived as political. They should not burden the President with these acts while we are all trying to help fight this disease,” Defensor said. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman likened Robredo to a Good Samaritan who is being punished for trying to contribute to efforts to save Filipinos from the COVID scourge. “Robredo has raised millions of funds from private donors to extend these free services almost immediately after President Duterte initially imposed a lockdown in the National Capital Region and before the enactment of the so-called Bayanihan Act,” Lagman noted. He asked: “Has President Duterte not asked Filipinos to do their share in the battle against the lethal novel coronavirus?” According to ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, the decision to go after Robredo is one that is “difficult to stomach.” “What the administration is doing—treating the compassion, competence, and hard work of Vice President Robredo and Pasig Mayor Sotto as 'competition' and 'quarantine violation'—is plain and simple politicking,” Castro said. To Duterte ally Taduran, the investigation of Robredo is just plain “ridiculous.” “It is ridiculous at this point to hear that some agencies would probe those who are helping out in this crisis rather than focus on the people who are taking advantage,” she said. According to Garbin, the PACC pronoucement seeking an investigation of Robredo “smacks of bad faith and reeks of insensitivity to the plight of ordinary Filipinos, the doctors and nurses and other frontliners.”