Palace: Accountability of solons who ‘violated’ safety protocols up to peers’ hands

MANILA, Philippines — Only the members of the House of Representatives can hold accountable the lawmakers who supposedly violated quarantine protocols at a gathering on Monday at a sports club in Quezon City, Malacañang said.

“We leave it na po to the House of Representatives kasi pati po yung issue ng pananagutan, accountability, the members of Congress can only be held accountable by their peers,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing when asked if there were quarantine protocols violated during the meeting of congressmen at an events place in Quezon City where newly installed Speaker Lord Allan Velasco was elected.

“We leave it to them po, highlighting na kinakailangan, yung mga namumuno sa bayan ay iisa po ang boses pagdating sa mask, hugas at iwas,” he added.

(We leave it to them, highlighting that the leaders of the country have one voice when it comes to wearing masks, washing hands and preventing the transmission of the virus.)

In an interview over CNN Philippines, Velasco disclosed that 111 congressmen were present at the place of the event where the gathering was held.

“We followed safety protocols, we were wearing masks, face shields and then we were practicing social distancing yesterday,” Velasco assured.

Under the government’s COVID-19 omnibus guidelines on general community quarantine, mass gatherings “such as but not limited to, movie screenings, concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment activities, community assemblies, and non-essential work gatherings shall be prohibited.”

“Gatherings that are for the provision of critical government services and authorized humanitarian activities while adhering to the prescribed minimum health standards shall be allowed,” it added. [ac]