MANILA, Philippines — Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has declined to comment on reports that he was rushed to a hospital a week after he tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“No comment,” Pimentel said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.
According to Pimentel’s chief political officer, the senator “is quickly on his way to recovery.”
“I’m very optimistic that he’ll beat the virus very soon. In fact, he’s been in communication with a lot of people already,” Ron Munsayac told reporters in a separate message when asked i
“If okay po, he’s requesting his right to privacy and his right to get well po,” he added.
The lawmaker was recently embroiled in a controversy over his alleged breach of quarantine protocols when he accompanied his wife, Kathryna to the Makati Medical Center (MMC) for the scheduled delivery of their first child.
Pimentel said he was with his wife at the MMC when he received a call from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) confirming that he is positive for COVID-19.
Once news broke that Pimentel contracted the disease, netizens were quick to call him out saying that he violated quarantine protocols when he accompanied his wife to the hospital despite manifesting symptoms as early as March 14.
The MMC also denounced the senator’s “irresponsible and reckless” actions for breaching its infection control protocols.
The hospital also slammed Pimentel for violating strict guidelines on social distancing, quarantine, and hygiene which it said created more problems for the rapidly depleting healthcare sector as the COVID-19 pandemic grows.
Pimentel has since apologized to the hospital but maintained he did not intentionally violate quarantine protocols and stressed he did not mean to “do harm on anyone.”