BY VANNE TERRAZOLA
Senators who were invited to personally hear President Duterte’s State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) Monday tested negative for COVID-19.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sens. Pia Cayetano, Ronald dela Rosa, Christopher Go, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and Francis Tolentino yielded negative for the coronavirus in the RT-PCR tests conducted before the SONA.
Most swab tests were conducted on Sunday while Revilla’s sample was taken and processed on the same day before the President’s speech.
The testing was part of the safety protocols implemented by authorities to ensure the President’s health when he delivers his public address at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.
Of the limited number of attendees allowed for the SONA, eight senators were expected to physically attend.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, however, decided at the last minute not to attend the event “for fear of COVID-19.”
The senator, who survived COVID-19 months ago, said he would just monitor the President’s speech from his home. The result of his swab test was not yet released as of writing.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian had also opted to no longer go to the House of Representatives’ headquarters although he also tested negative for the virus. (Vanne Terrazola)
