Lawyer files complaint vs Pimentel over hospital trip

(Eagle News) — A lawyer has filed a complaint against Senator Koko Pimentel for his alleged breach of his self-quarantine for the coronavirus disease 2019, for which he later tested positive.

In a Facebook post, lawyer Rico Quicho said he filed the complaint before the Department of Justice through electronic email against Pimentel for violation of Republic Act No. 11332, its implementing rules and regulations, and other Department of Health guidelines.

RA No. 11332  bans the “non-cooperation of persons or entities that should report and/or respond to notifiable diseases of health events of public concern and the “non-cooperation of persons who have been identified as having the notifiable disease, or those affected by the health event of public concern.”

Quicho said the complaint references the online Change.org petition against Pimentel that he said has gathered around 200,000 signatures.

The petition was made after Pimentel announced he was COVID-19 positive and said he had accompanied his pregnant wife to the Makati Medical Center prior to learning about this.

The MMC has denounced Pimentel for breaching the hospital’s safety protocol.

Pimentel has since apologized.

“We are one with the Filipino people in condemning negligent and reckless acts which expose the public, especially our health workers, to unnecessary risks,” Quicho said.

In a statement on Monday, April 6, Pimentel said he has yet to read the complaint.

“Bago kasi itong email filing. I am not familiar with the procedure..Sana to be fair to me he furnishes me with a copy so I can answer/respond,” Pimentel added.

In a message to reporters, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the DOJ will “immediately schedule the preliminary investigation on such date as may be appropriate, considering the current lockdown in Metro Manila.”

“We assure everyone that the justice department will apply the law fairly and uniformly, regardless of the status of the respondent, with due respect at all times to the right of the respondent,” Guevarra said.

He said the probe was “without prejudice to the separate probe that the National Bureau of Investigation has commenced.” With reports from Moira Encina and Meanne Corvera, Eagle News Service