NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas blows a candle on his birthday cake last May 8. Image from the NCRPO Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines — Embattled Metro Manila police chief Major Gen. Debold Sinas is “hard to replace” due to his programs in relation to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said Monday.
Sinas will remain in his post even after he and 18 other police officers were charged by the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) for failure to follow quarantine protocols during the May 8 “mañanita” to mark his birth anniversary.
“Yes, I hope public would understand. Kasi nandito tayo sa ganito nga, emergency situation. Pag palitan mo siya, we will never know. Napakahirap palitan dahil ang dami niyang programa in terms, in relation sa COVID,” Gamboa said in an interview on dzMM.
(Yes, I hope the public will understand. Because we are in an emergency situation. It’s hard to replace him because he has a lot of programs in relation to COVID.)
Apart from this, Gamboa said Sinas was also able to stop illegal gambling in Metro Manila since becoming National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief.
“Yes, there are still a lot. Meron kaming campaign against illegal drugs and alam naman natin na nung umupo siyang NCRPO, huminto talaga yung illegal gambling sa National Capital Region,” Gamboa said.
(Yes, there are still a lot. We have a campaign against illegal drugs and we know that ever since he assumed post as NCRPO chief, illegal gambling was controlled in the National Capital Region.)
Sinas’ birth anniversary celebration drew flak from the public after the NCRPO Public Information Office shared on its Facebook page photos of the event showing a number of police officers who gathered at the event without observing social distancing.
Sinas has since apologized for the incident saying he did not intend to cause “anxiety,” but claimed that some of the photos were “edited” and were “old photos.”
All forms of mass gatherings are prohibited in areas under community quarantine to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus which causes COVID-19.