DOJ 'likely' to send summons to Pimentel next week
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice may issue summons to Sen. Koko Pimentel next week over the criminal complaint filed against him for breaching quarantine protocols.
“We will issue subpoena likely next week,” Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento told reporters Tuesday.
Private lawyer Rico Quicho said Monday that he filed, through electronic mail, a complaint against Pimentel before the DOJ for violating Republic Act 11332 and its implementing rules and other Department of Health guidelines.
RA 11332 is the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. It punishes “non-cooperation of the person or entities identified as having the notifiable disease, or affected by the health event of public concern.”
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, for his part, said Monday night that he “read” Quicho’s complaint and forwarded it to Malcontento’s office for appropriate action.
The Makati Medical Center previously admonished Pimentel for breaking its containment protocol when he brought his then-pregnant wife to the hospital while he was waiting for the results of his COVID-19 test, which turned out to be positive.
Quicho said his complaint also referenced an online petition that has gathered 200,000 signatures.
A copy of the complaint has yet to be made public as of this story’s posting.
The national prosecution service’s action on the complaint filed by Quicho is separate from a National Bureau of Investigation ongoing fact-finding against Pimentel.
The bureau said last week they will invite Pimentel to explain his breaking of containment protocol after his quarantine period is over. — with report from The STAR/Evelyn Macairan
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