PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas. (Photo from PNP PIO)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said it will submit results of its investigation into the public gathering attended by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Senator Manny Pacquiao, which supposedly breached social distancing protocols.
However, PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas, who was accused of violating lockdown protocols in the mañanita controversy, did not disclose the details of their report.
“We have finalized our report. We have finalized our investigation. I will just submit it to the SILG [Secretary of the Interior and Local Government] and abide on his wisdom on our recommendations but I will not discuss it openly dahil ayoko pangunahan si SILG so we just wait na once maiforward ko ang report,” Sinas said in a press briefing.
(I will not discuss it openly because I don’t want to precede the SILG.)
Sinas said they will submit their report to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año “within the week.”
The Palace official was under fire for attending a public event at Bantayan Island, Cebu which drew a thick crowd.
Pacquiao was also criticized for speaking to a crowd in Batangas which failed to observe social distancing. Pacquiao’s attendance at the event, which was captured from alleged Instagram stories of his wife, Jinkee, circulated over social media.
Año said he already ordered a fact-finding investigation to look into these events.