MANILA, Philippines — Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea has asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to submit to Malacañang its investigation findings on the mañanita or birthday serenade for National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
According to Palace spokesman Harry Roque, Medialdea issued the order to the PNP-Internal Affairs Service to look into the possible violation of lockdown protocols during the mañanita for Sinas last May 8 inside the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
“I think it is a significant development na no less than the Executive Secretary has ordered the investigation and the results be forwarded to his office,” Roque said in a televised press briefing.
“Hayaan na muna nating umusad ang imbestigasyon bago natin pag-usapan ang parusa,” he added.
The mañanita for Sinas has drawn widespread criticism after photos of the event posted on the NCRPO’s Facebook page by the NCRPO-Public Information Office showed the absence of physical distancing as ordered by quarantine rules. The Facebook post was later taken down.
Sinas has already apologized for the event but said that it was not his intention to break quarantine protocols.
He also claimed that some of the photos circulating online had been edited and were grabbed from old posts.