Officials of Barangay Dahican in the City of Mati are in hot water after their simple motorcade was found to have violated the health protocols.
A police official was also said to have been relieved by the Mati PNP for offering the use of the Mati Tourist PNP vehicle for their motorcade on Saturday morning, May 15.
A video was uploaded by FB page Cora Malanyaon for Governor Movement showing a live video of young individuals onboard the Mati Tourist PNP pickup with several motorcycles behind them.
In a telephone interview Sunday, May 16, Dahican barangay captain Nestor Escasinas admitted that Saturday’s motorcade was part of the celebration of their Araw ng Barangay Dahican.
Escasinas said the motorcade was supposed to be a simple reminder to their barangay constituents of their 53rd founding anniversary. He said he only invited barangay functionaries and some Sangguniang Kabataan officials to join the motorcade.
After the motorcade, Escasinas said, they conducted a clean-up drive and distributed some food packs to the participants before heading home.
“Manageable naman, wala namang problema, kaso lang sa motorcade, kadtong mga nagmotor, wala nagwear og helmet. Tapos kadtong (PNP Tourist) mobile, wala mabantayi na naay misakay sa likod na unom kabuok mao wala naobserbahan ang physical distancing,” Escasinas narrated.
As to the Mati PNP Tourist Cop vehicle used in the motorcade, Escasinas said that it was them (Mati PNP) who offered their vehicle to be used during the motorcade.
“Ang sa tourist police, sila man pud nag-offer sa akoa na basi kailangan namo ang guide. Giingnan nako sila na kung ok lang sa ilaha. Tapos nananghid man pud ang tourist police kang COP (Mati chief of police Aying). Ok man pud daw kang COP, so mao tong sila ang nag-guide sa motorcade,” said Escasinas.
Aside from the motorcade, among the planned activities for their Araw ng Barangay were banca racing and cycling event slated on May 15.
But the SK Dahican cancelled the events after the Mati Incident Management Team came out with a statement cancelling the bigger cycling event Tour de Mati Theo Cup scheduled on May 16 due to concern on Covid-19 clusterings in the city the past two weeks.
Mati IMT commander Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan Jr. said that after deciding to cancel Tour de Mati, they also cancelled all other applications for holding of events including those that were already approved but have not yet conducted their activities after May 12.
Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat said on Sunday that she was already informed by Police Lt. Col. Bembo Aying that that police officer who allowed the use of the Mati Tourist Cop vehicle was already relieved.
Mati City Local Government Operations Officer Joseph Porgatorio meanwhile reminded all barangay officials to secure permit from the Mati IMT for all of their activities in their respective barangays.
City Ordinance No. 427 or the City of Mati’s Disiplina Panahon sa Pandemya Ordinance mandates the approval of the mayor upon the recommendation of the IMT for any events that will be held in the City of Mati.
Rule XI of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the City Ordinance 427 states that “violations committed by public officials or employees shall be meted with administrative disciplinary action, aside from fines and penalties due to the violation committed, without prejudice to the filing of appropriate civil or criminal action”. (CIO MATI)f
