PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said he will not order the transfer of the police general who was charged for violating quarantine protocols by allowing his subordinates to gather for his surprise birthday celebration.
“I am sure kung alam ni Sinas iyan, hindi siya pumayag. Sabihin mo the ‘law is the law’, eh akin na ‘yon, that is my responsibility. But I will not order his transfer, he stays there,” Duterte said in a meeting with some Cabinet members Tuesday midnight, May 19.
He was referring to Major General Debold Sinas, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) office, who has been charged along with 18 other police officers for violating the social distancing protocol and the prohibition on mass gatherings when he failed to stop his surprise birthday celebration.
Read: Sinas, 18 other police officers charged for violating ECQ rules
Duterte defended Sinas a few minutes after acknowledging that, “The law is the law is the law. The rule is the rule is the rule.”
“Itong kaso ni General Sinas - sa National Capital Region - ako iyong ayaw na malipat siya. He is a good officer, he is an honest man, and hindi niya kasalanan kung may mangharana sa kanya sa birthday niya,” Duterte said.
(In the case of General Sinas at the National Capital Region Police Office, I don’t want him transferred. He is a good officer. He is an honest man and the mañanita for his birthday was not his fault.)
The President also justified the non-wearing of masks, saying the policemen could not possibly eat had they worn masks.
“At iyong mga nagsasabi na nagkikita na hindi naka-mask, eh siyempre may meryenda ‘yan, alangan naman kainin nila pati ‘yung mask, tatanggalin talaga nila, kainan ‘yon eh,” he added.
Duterte said he looked at the merits and demerits of the case and concluded that he needs Sinas to continue serving as NCRPO chief.
“Hindi ako sang-ayon, I will not just--hindi ako ganoon, pinag-aralan ko ‘yung merits at tska demerits. Kailangan ko iyong tao, mas kailangan ko ‘iyong tao dito sa trabaho niya,” Duterte said.
The President said other competent officers may replace Sinas, but he is not firing him just because his subordinates sang the birthday song for him.
“Marami yan sila. They are all competent, but you know, seniority. it is his time to be there and I do not believe in just firing him because kinantahan siya ng happy birthday,” he added.
The President recalled how he had to celebrate his 75th birthday without his family while in quarantine.
Read: Duterte marks 75th birthday under quarantine
Sinas and 18 other police officers face criminal charges before the Taguig prosecutor’s office for violating City Ordinance No. 12 of Taguig City, which requires the wearing of masks in public, and Republic Act 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
The charges were filed a week after Sinas was greeted with a mañanita at about 5 a.m. of May 8, 2020 followed by a merienda to celebrate his birthday. (SunStar Philippines)