PNP gags Sinas on birthday fete raps

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila’s top cop, Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas, has been prohibited from commenting on the charges against him in connection with his birthday celebration earlier this month.

Sinas, who heads the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa barred him from commenting on the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)’s probe of his birthday “mañanita” on May 8.

“I have been gagged by the Chief PNP to refrain from commenting anymore because the investigation is ongoing,” Sinas said in an interview aired over GMA News.

On Wednesday, Sinas submitted to the NBI’s anti-graft division a letter explaining his birthday celebration, photos of which showed dozens of police officers breaking quarantine protocols on mass gathering and social distancing.

The NBI is looking into the incident following orders from the Department of Justice.

Sinas also refused to comment on the resolution of the House of Representatives’ Makabayan bloc, which called for his immediate dismissal from police service.

Criminal and administrative charges have also been filed against Sinas and 18 other police officials over the incident. 

The PNP earlier said Sinas will keep his post even if he is facing charges for supposedly violating lockdown protocols as he is “hard to replace” given the health crisis the country is facing.

President Duterte also said he would not remove Sinas as NCRPO chief, noting that it was not the police official’s fault that his underlings wanted to serenade him on his birthday. 

Duterte further stated that he was personally opposed to calls for Sinas to be removed, saying that he was a “good and honest” officer.