VACC: Sinas should go
THE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption ( VACC) has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to use “the full force of the law” in dealing with National Capital Region Police Office ( NCRPO) chief Debold Sinas and other police officials who violated quarantine protocols.
In a phone interview, VACC President Arsenio Evangelista said while he respected the decision of the President to keep Sinas, the police official should still be punished for holding a gathering on his birthday.
“We at VACC always trust the wisdom of President and we are always in support of him, but in the case of NCRPO Gen. Debold Sinas, I think we could have a different opinion. First, we believe General Sinas is hardworking and trustworthy, but he committed a bad judgment call by allowing this mañanita, wherein he is the honoree. Thus, violating several protocols,” he told The Manila Times.
“The violators should be dealt with the full force of the law, most especially when the law enforcers become the law breakers,” he added.
Evangelista, who also serves as the VACC spokesman, said Sinas should observe quarantine protocols, being the head of the Metro police district.
“He lost his moral ascendancy to lead NCRPO by virtue of leadership by example. As we all know that NCR is the epicenter of Covid- 19 ( coronavirus disease 2019),” the VACC official stressed.
“So, we are asking the President to reconsider his decision to retain General Sinas in his position and we suggest he be transferred to Camp Crame or somewhere outside NCR pending results of investigation,” he added.
Evangelista said the VACC also denounced the Philippine National Police ( PNP) hierarchy “for tolerating the blatant violation of the law” in relation to the gathering held to observe the tradition of the Philippine Military Academy ( PMA) to serenade a senior officer at dawn on his birthday.
“With due respect to the PMA and the PNP, they should have not allowed this mañanita tradition to be carried out amidst the Covid- 19 pandemic,” he added.
The President had said Sinas would remain head of the NCRPO because he was a “good” and “honest” policeman.
But Malacañang on Thursday said Sinas was not yet off the hook.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque said the Duterte’s decision allowing Sinas to stay was without prejudice to the filing of administrative charges against him.
“Malinawangsabing atingPresidente,mananatili siyasapwestosangayon. Atdahildatingpiskalang atingPresidente,alamng Presidentenakinakailangan umusadyungprosesong kasongkriminal
( The President said he would stay in his current post for now. And because our President was a former prosecutor, he knows that the criminal case should continue),” he explained.
“Itoaysinampanasa piskalya,magkaroonng preliminary investigation, magkakaroon kungisasampasakorte, atkungisasampasakorte, kinakailangandepensahan
niyaangkanyangsarili ( The case has been filed with the prosecutor, there will be a preliminary investigation and a decision if it will be filed to the court, and he needs to defend himself there),” he added.