A group of lawyers is preparing to file a lawsuit against Sen Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III after he exposed frontliners and patients to COVID-19 when he breached the quarantine protocol of Makati Medical Center (MMC).
The Senator announced Wednesday that he tested positive of COVID-19. However, MMC revealed in a statement that Pimentel violated his quarantine protocol when he accompanied his pregnant wife to MMC.
Earlier today, S&R BGC also confirmed Pimentel went shopping on March 16.
Many condemned Pimentel’s disobedience to the quarantine protocol, especially since he was a person under monitoring at the time and should have been isolated.
Rico Quicho said he has nine other attorneys for the “test case” they will file against Pimentel for allegedly breaking the law on “mandatory reporting of notifiable diseases and health events of public health concern.”
“He is not only an ordinary citizen. He is a senator of the republic. As a lawmaker, he should not be a lawbreaker,” said Quicho.
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Group of lawyers pushes to disbar Pimentel for breaching quarantine protocol
According to Quicho, they would also push for the Senator to be disbarred because, as a lawyer, Pimentel should know to obey the law.
On Thursday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said they agreed with MMC’s statement that there was a breach of the protocol over Pimentel’s actions.
Duque, however, denied that he called MMC so that Pimentel’s wife could be admitted to MMC.
The Senator apologized, “I would like to sincerely and profoundly apologize for this very unfortunate incident. I never intended to do any harm to anyone… Please tell me how I can make it up to you.”
In the meantime, the Office of the Ombudsman is also considering whether they should conduct a motu proprio investigation on Pimentel’s action.
“Will discuss today with other Ombudsman officials,” said Ombudsman Samuel Martires.
Posts saying #KokoResign were also circulating online.