Charles Teves
It has been over a year since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in the country, a 38-year-old female Chinese national who hailed from Wuhan-the city where COVID-19 originated from.
The government said everything will be okay, but as of today, nearly 13,000 Filipinos have died from the disease and a nationwide contract tracing program has yet to be established.
The Malacañang has already ruled out implementing another nationwide lockdown even with the recent rise in confirmed cases. Metro Manila meanwhile has imposed a curfew of 10 pm to 5 am.
Government officials along with health experts always reminded the public to observe health measures such as maintaining a certain distance among each other to prevent the spreading of the deadly disease.
But people of authority have previously been caught violating what they have constantly advocated.
This only made the public think that there exists a double standard in favor of the current administration’s allies.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel on March 24 of last year, clearly violated health protocols when he brought his then-pregnant wife to the Makati Medical Center. He only knew about testing positive for COVID-19 while at the hospital. He admitted previously attending two birthday parties while he was branded as a person under investigation (PUI). After visiting S&R Bonifacio Global City, eight days prior, store clerks were forced to quarantine due to being in close contact with Pimentel.
He was charged for violating Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, which prohibits the “non-cooperation of person and entities” in reporting “notifiable diseases or health events of public concern.”
The Department of Justice dismissed the case against Pimentel by a lawyer for violating quarantine protocols.
The very next month, deputy chief of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Mocha Uson, who called for Pimentel to resign amid his issue, made headlines for gathering over 300 repatriated Filipino migrant workers at a beach resort in Batangas. The workers who attended the event were supposed to quarantine for 14 days.
Luzon at the time was under enhanced community quarantine, which means mass gathering was not allowed. OWWA chief Hans Cacdac defended Uson saying she had the “best intentions” and “carried out the message” for the workers.
Just a few weeks after Uson’s display of hypocrisy, police chief Debold Sinas came under fire after he threw himself a birthday party. National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Public Information Office shared photos of the mañanita wherein Sinas is seen with about 50 other people gathered together and enjoying the event.
Then PNP Director Archie Gamboa went on the defense and said Sinas did not violate any protocols.
Sinas has been infected with COVID-19 on March 11, 2021.
San Juan Mayor Francisco Zamora also disappointed a lot of people when he avoided stopping at a quarantine checkpoint inspection on Kennon Road on June 5, 2020. He could do nothing but issue an apology to everyone he disrespected.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who recently tested positive for the Chinese virus, had his fair share of criticism as well. On Nov. 12, 2020, he is seen in a video singing at a restaurant in Baguio City without a mask on. Baguio was under MGCQ at the time. He also spoke to a large crowd in Bantayan Island in Cebu in which health measures were violated.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong himself offered to resign as the country’s tracing czar after admitting that he and his wife attended Tim Yap’s birthday celebration last January. Both were fined a thousand pesos.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros shares a concurring sentiment with what most Filipinos think, and that is the hypocrisy of people in power.
Take the case of fish vendor Dodong Jimeda for instance. Following his alleged violation of quarantine protocols, Jimeda was arrested, detained for 12 days, and made to post bail amounting to P3,500.
Last year in June, six jeepney drivers who protested that they are to be allowed to continue making a living were arrested for “disobedience to social distancing.” All were fined P3,000 each.
Urban poor group Kadamay doesn’t think a strict lockdown would work given that this measure did nothing last year in terms of slowing the rising of COVID-19 cases.
“They have put the blame on the people on the impending stricter lockdown. But isn’t it that it was President Duterte and his people who did not heed the people’s plea? Do not blame us. Hold to account the powerful who neglected their duty,” said Kadamay secretary general Mimi Doringo.
