The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will continue with its probe over the birthday party held for National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas for allegedly violating quarantine protocols, despite the filing of charges by the Philippine National Police with the Taguig City prosecutor’s office.
NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said the investigation and case build-up is being conducted by the NBI’s Anti-Graft DIvision (NBI-AGD).
Lavin said NBI-AGD investigators had already visited Sinas at the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City last Thursday, May 14.
“Gen. Sinas was requested to submit a written explanation on May 20,” the NBI spokesman said.
The case against Sinas stemmed from photos posted on the NCRPO Facebook page regarding the May 8 birthday celebration or “mananita” arranged by his subordinates which has been seen as violating quarantine protocols.
“The captured images will have to be authenticated which is part of the investigation process,” Lavin explained.
The Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) has already filed on Friday, May 15, charges against Sinas and other NCRPO officers before the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office.
The charge sheet states that Sinas and other NCRPO officials were found to have gathered in his quarters at Camp Bagong Diwa around 5 a.m. of May 8 “without wearing a face mask when the entire National Capital Region is still under an enhanced community quarantine.”
Sinas and his co-respondents have been accused of violating a Taguig City for non-wearing of face mask and Republic Act 11332, the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
The PNP-IAS also said the Sinas’ party constituted administrative offenses of “less grave neglect of duty” under a National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) memorandum circular for alleged refusal or neglect to observe Enhanced Community Quarantine protocols prohibiting mass gatherings and “less grave misconduct” on account of violation of the same R.A. 11332. (Jeffrey Damicog)
