DOJ ‘likely’ to summon Pimentel next week

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice might send Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III next week a subpoena on the criminal complaint filed by a former law dean against him for allegedly breaching enhanced community quarantine protocols, the DOJ said yesterday.

DOJ-National Prosecution Service (NPS) Prosecutor General Benedicto Malconteno said the issuance of the subpoena to Pimentel was in connection with the complaint lodged by former University of Makati School of Law dean Rico Quicho before the department last Monday.

“We will issue subpoena likely next week,” Malcontento said.

He added that they would send the subpoena to Pimentel, along with the criminal complaint, so the senator could prepare his counteraffidavit.

Quicho reportedly accused Pimentel of violating Republic Act 11332, the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, and other Department of Health regulations.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he forwarded the complaint to the NPS.

It was reported that on March 24, Pimentel accompanied his wife Kathryna to the Makati Medical Center, where she was supposed to give birth the following day.

It was while Pimentel was at the hospital when he reportedly got a call from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine confirming that he was positive for coronavirus disease 2019.