Sotto: Everybody follows health protocols but not Sinas
Senators were again not amused with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Debold Sinas' reported skipping of health screening in Oriental Mindoro before learning that he was positive for COVID-19.
"May violation 'yon. Kung 'yong mga mayor nga saka mga senador saka 'yong Senate President 'pag nagpupunta sa isang lugar na kailangan dumaan sa triage o doon sa protocols. Sumusunod lahat eh (There is a violation there. Even mayors and senators as well as the Senate President go to triage and are subject to the protocols when they visit an area. Everyone follows)," Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in an interview with radio DWIZ on Saturday, March 13.
"Anong meron ang PNP chief na hindi siya susunod sa protocol (What does the PNP chief have that he does not follow protocols)?" he added.
Sinas, who announced getting infected with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) last Thursday, March 11, is again under fire after the Oriental Mindoro government disclosed that he did not undergo the health clearances when he visited the province on the same day.
The PNP chief went straight to regional headquarters instead, the provincial government in a statement on Friday.
But Sotto recalled his recent visit to Baguio City, saying that even Mayor Benjamin Magalong brought him and his staff to the city's triage for health screening and testing before they were allowed entry.
"Ang sinasabi ko lang, hindi pupuwede 'yong sa ibang tao ay dapat, sa ibang tao ay hindi. Hindi pwede 'yon (What I am saying is that, we cannot not enforce one rule for one person, and a different rule for the others. That should not be the situation)."
"Eh mali, mali (That's wrong, that's wrong)," said the Senate leader, agreeing that Sinas should be setting an example to his fellow law enforcers.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, noted that Sinas has hit "strike two".
"Strike two na, eh (That's already his second strike)," he said in a separate DWIZ interview.
He surmised that Sinas may have have overlooked the health screenings, saying the police staff should at least have reminded their chief.
"Minsan kasi nagiging complacent na tayo kung sa tingin natin medyo parang invincible tayo. Ayan tinamaan (Because sometimes, we are becoming complacent thinking we are invincible. Now, he's infected)," he said.
Lacson told Sinas: "Mag-ingat na lang siya, kasi hanggang strike three lang ang baseball (He should be careful, because in baseball, you are out after the third strike)."
Sinas was heavily criticized for the "mañanita" or early morning serenade for his 55th birthday at National Police Regional Office (NCRPO) in Taguig City in May last year.
Photos posted and later deleted by the NCRPO on Facebook showed a breach of physical distancing protocols by policemen. At the time, there was also a prohibition on mass gatherings due to the increase in COVID-19 cases.