MANILA, Philippines — National Capital Region Police Office(NCRPO) chief Major Gen. Debold Sinas on Thursday insisted that social distancing and other health protocols were observed during his May 8 birth anniversary celebration but noted that he will leave it to the investigators to determine if there were violations committed.
“Alam niyo naman na nagobserve din naman sila ng social distancing at nagmask sila. Maski ako nagmamask ako diyan. Medyo tuliro lang din lang but I think we observe naman yung protocol,” Sinas said on CNN Philippines.
(It can be seen that they observed social distancing and they wore masks. I am also wearing a mask. We were a little confused but I think we observed the protocol.)
“But I will have the investigators na lang assess what really happened. ‘Yung mga tauhan ko naman (My men), they are ready to defend themselves,” he added.
Sinas, meanwhile, defended a member of the NCRPO Public Information Office (PIO), saying there was no harm in sharing the photos of the event or mañanita (birthday serenade) on social media.
“Tinanong ko na po yung PIO (Public Information Office) na nagpost doon ayoko rin naman pagalitan yun. Ang sabi tuwang-tuwa siya during that time, at wala naman siyang malice at masamang intensyon,” Sinas said.
( I asked the PIO staffer who posted the photos and I don’t want to reprimand him. The staffer said he was happy that time and there was no malice involved.)
“Nakita naman niya na nag-o-observe ng social distancing at natuwa lang siya na makapanood ng mañanita na ginawa niya sakin. Mga tauhan ko po yun. Whatever happens, I stand with them,” he added.
(He saw that there were social distancing and he was happy to watch the mañanita that was arranged for me. They are my men, Whatever happens, I stand by them.)
The photos of the Sinas’ mañanita showed the NCRPO chief accepting flowers from police officers. Another photo of Sinas was blowing candles on a Voltes-V inspired birthday cake.
Over 20 pictures of the mañanita were deleted at the NCRPO Facebook after the event drew flak from lawmakers, personalities and netizens.
The Philippine National Police’s Internal Affairs Service and the National Bureau of Investigation said they will look into the controversial issue.
Old photos
Sinas also explained that a photo that circulated on social media did not happen during his May 8 mañanita but was an old photo of another celebration in November last year.
The old photo, which was flashed during the CNN Philippines interview, showed Sinas and other police officers sitting at a round table without face masks.
“May photos na nagcirculate, na di ko alam kung paninira, yung mga photos ay dati pa po yan. Na-trace na namin, yung isang kaibigan namin nagpost siya na nag-greet sa akin at inamin naman po niya na yung picture hindi dun,” he said.
(There were photos that circulated, I don’t know if it is intended to damage my reputation, the photo is an old one. We traced it to a friend who posted the photo and greeted me on my birthday and he admitted that his photo was not from the May 8 event.)
Sinas said it was a coincidence that he was wearing the same orange t-shirt — during the old event and his mañanita.
“I think it is November pa po yan yung nangyari sa gathering na yan. Kung makita mo yung buhok namin mahahaba pa. Pangalawa, ni isa walang mask at pangatlo, it so happened lang yung t-shirt niyan at yung t-shirt nung birthday ko ay pareho yung t-shirt ko. Paborito ko yun di ko maisip na ganyan ang mangyari,” he said.
(I think that was from a November gathering. If you look at the photo, our hair in the photo was too long. Second, we are not wearingface masks and third, it so happened that my t-shirt at the past event and my t-shirt during my birthday were the same. It is my favorite and I did not think that would happen.)
The Metro Manila police chief previously apologized for causing “anxiety” to the public over his mañanita.