Filipinos slam world boxing idol Pacquiao for ‘violating’ health protocols

Manolo B Jara, Correspondent

World boxing idol and administration Senator Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and Harry Roque, the presidential spokesman, are being investigated for allegedly violating strict health protocols, particularly physical distancing, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their recent separate public appearances.

This was announced on Sunday by Secretary Eduardo Ano of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), who told radio DzBB in Filipino in an interview: "We'll make sure that we conduct a fact-finding investigation to determine if there are people responsible for such violations."

Netizens have criticised Roque for addressing a huge crowd during a tourism event on Friday on the island of Bantayan in Cebu in the Visayas  where a programme, called "suroy-suroy" (strolling through) to attract visitors was launched.

In his remarks, Roque acknowledged that physical distancing was not observed but argued that the rule need not be followed if people wore masks and were assembled in an open air venue.

"Just don't remove your masks, That's okay because we're in an open air venue," Roque told the crowd in the presence of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and other local officials who also attended the event.

Earlier, netizens also slammed Roque who was seen on video singing inside a bar in Baguio City allegedly without observing protocols like wearing face masks and observing social distancing at a time when typhoon Vamco was  wreaking havoc on the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela in Northern Luzon

As photos of Roque with the island residents circulated on social media on Friday, netizens called him out for his "glaring" violation of the quarantine rules to prevent the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

On the other hand, screen shots of alleged Instagram stories of Pacquiao and his wife, Jinkee, also went viral on social media showing the senator speaking before a large crowd in Batangas province in Southern Luzon that did not observe social distancing.

But this was not the first time that ranking officials have come under heavy fire for allegedly violating COVID-19 health protocols amid protests of policemen arresting people just for the sake of arresting them even without any reason.

The most recent glaring example was that of General Debold Sinas, the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), who was shown in video that went viral in social media while celebrating his birthday in May in alleged violation of all known COVID-19 health protocols, including the ban on mass gatherings.

At that time, Sinas headed the Metro Manila PNP regional command that has jurisdiction over 16 cities and one town with a total population of more than 12 million.