Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Archie Gamboa on Tuesday said he sees no violation in NCRPO chief Debold Sinas’ birthday celebration amid enhanced community quarantine.
“Una, walang party’ng nangyari ang sabi ni Gen. [Debold] Sinas. Probably nagkaroon ng mañanita pero doon sa mañanita ang sabi ni Gen. Sinas is that inobserve pa rin nila ‘yong mga social distancing. Now, I don’t think na meron namang violation ito,” he said in his virtual press briefing.
(First, no party occurred according to Gen. [Debold] Sinas. They had mañanita probably, but in the mañanita, Gen. Sinas said the observed social distancing. Now, I don’t think that there is a violation.)
National Capital Region Police Office Public Information Office on May 8, 2020, posted photos of police officers serenading Sinas and giving him roses and cakes.
Another photo showed Sinas blowing his Voltes V inspired birthday cake.
The pictures also showed police officers getting food from the buffet table only a few inches away from each other. They also sat around the dining table close to each other as one would do in a usual birthday party.
Some of the photos posted on the NCRPO Public Information Office’s page were later deleted.
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PNP chief says no ‘violation’ in NCRPO chief’s birthday celebration
Gamboa, however, said he was told physical distancing was observed during the gathering.
“He assured me that physical distancing was observed that time. So kung meron man [if there’s any] then I will look into it but as of yet I still trust naman Gen. Sinas,” he said.
“Alam naman natin napakahirap no’ng trabaho niya sa NCRPO but nevertheless it is not an excuse for him not to follow simple health protocols,” he said.
(We know that his job in NCRPO is tough, but it is not an excuse for him not to follow simple health protocols.)
“So hindi pa talaga natin alam kung allowed ‘yong parties kasi alam naman natin kapag may party ang pinaka -vulnerable na puwedeng violation dito would be mass gathering. So we really don’t know as of yet, but as of ngayon, bawal kasi wala pa naman nilalabas na detailed policy about this,” he added.
(We do not know yet if parties are allowed because we know if there’s a party, the possible violation would be mass gathering. So we don’t know as of yet, but for now, it is not allowed because a detailed policy is not yet released.)
NCRPO chief Sinas has yet to respond to the incident.
Metro Manila is still under the ECQ where physical distancing is strictly observed, and mass gathering is prohibited.