Roque unfazed by complaints over his alleged health rules ‘violation’

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday expressed confidence that the complaints filed against him for alleged breach of COVID-19 protocols will be dismissed, insisting he did not violate any health rules.

Watchdog group Pinoy Aksyon filed complaints against Roque before the Office of the Ombudsman for his supposedly violating quarantine restrictions when he went to Subic in July 2020, when he addressed a crowd that allegedly did not observe social distancing in Cebu in November 2020, and when he visited Boracay in February this year.

“Edi mabuti para mapakita ko po at mapatunayan na wala po akong nilabag,” Roque said in a press briefing when sought to comment on the matter.

(Then good, so I can show and prove that I did not violate anything.)

“Lahat po ng ginawa ko ay sang-ayon sa prevailing quarantine classifications. Magsampa na po kayo ng ibang reklamo dahil madidismiss lang ‘yan,” he added.

(Everything I did was in accordance with the prevailing quarantine classifications. File another complaint because that will only be dismissed.)

In now-deleted photos posted by a marine park last year, Roque was seen in the waters with dolphins which received fierce backlash online. Roque had apologized to those offended by his trip but assured no protocols were violated.

Roque again drew flak when he attended a Cebu event and talked before a crowd that supposedly did not follow social distancing. He also assured he followed health rules and even reminded those present in the event to observe minimum health standards.

In February, Roque said he was exposed to a staff who got COVID-19 after arriving in Manila from his visit to Boracay where he was spotted in photos posted by a scuba diving school there.

Although he tested negative for the coronavirus, Roque said he had undergone isolation at the time and assured he was compliant with health protocols.

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