Mañanita part 2? Sinas cries ‘fake news’ over ‘Christmas party’ video

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas on Monday cried “fake news” on a video of him supposedly attending a Christmas party, that is now making rounds on social media.

“Negative po, fake news po iyon,” Sinas answered in a press conference held in San Fernando, Pampanga when asked if he attended a Christmas party, with some netizens calling as “mañanita part two.”

Before assuming the PNP chief post, Sinas was previously embroiled in controversy while he was still chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) as he and 18 others were photographed during a surprise birthday serenade or a “mañanita” for Sinas’ birthday last May.

The surprise birthday serenade was held when Luzon and some parts of the country were still under enhanced community quarantine that banned mass gatherings.

Sinas then apologized for the fiasco but insisted that he and the other police officers present in the gathering had followed health protocols.

President Rodrigo Duterte himself defended Sinas saying that it was not Sinas’ fault that his men at the NCRPO threw him a surprise serenade and party.

Duterte added that he will pardon Sinas should the latter be found at fault for the mañanita.

According to Sinas, he has seen the supposed Christmas party video and clarified that it was originally taken during a retirement party of a classmate last January in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

“Wala po kaming Christmas party. Siguro may mga tao talagang walang magawa sa buhay, but that is not true,” he said.

(We did not a Christmas party. Maybe there are some people who do not do anything in life, but that is not true.)

/MUF