By Art Jimenez
That’s exactly what happened to two San Juan City mayors: one past tense; the other, present tense.
Former San Juan mayor and ex-senator Jinggoy Estrada was arrested on May 4 for supposedly violating a number of DOH quarantine and health protocols while distributing fish and other goods to some residents. He had no quarantine pass. He also violated physical distancing as recipients milled about their former three-term mayor give away unwrapped fish and other goods. Neither did he have a city hall permit to conduct his personal relief operations.
Brought to the police station, Jinggoy cried “politics” as the reason behind his arrest. He said present city mayor Francis Zamora does not want him to make a possible comeback; a lighthearted accusation, I surmise. Of course, Zamora cannot say anything but deny playing politics. He stressed he just wanted all IATF protocols observed for the health and safety of everyone.
After three hours in the police station with his visitor, the former San Juan Mayor and Philippine President Joseph Estrada, Jinggoy was released with not even a slap on the wrist but with just “a stern warning” not to commit the same offense.
All’s well that ends well.
But not quite yet as the shoe shifted to the other foot.
On June 5, one month almost to Jinggoy’s peaceful arrest in San Juan on May 4, incumbent San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora and his convoy of six vehicles, disregarded the quarantine checkpoint at Kennon Road that leads to Baguio City.
Taken momentarily by surprise, the city police radioed ahead and had a team follow Zamora and company to the Baguio Country Club.
Zamora et al could not show any medical clearances and were subjected to triage examination.
Unlike Jinggoy, Mayor Zamora nor any of his companions was placed under arrest and taken to the Baguio City police station and left there to cool their heels. And since they committed a serious offense that could have endangered all of Baguio City, local AITF could have decided to place all of them on a 14-day quarantine! But no.
Back to San Juan. Jinggoy accepted he had no quarantine pass and therefore, even without saying it, violated the quarantine protocol. In the case of Mayor Zamora, he distanced himself from the checkpoint violation for the simple reason he was asleep when they reached the checkpoint. Too he was, of course, not the driver of the lead vehicle who, after slowing down and pointing back to the convoy, drove through the checkpoint.
Mayor Zamora also attributed the offense to simple “miscommunication” at the checkpoint area. Moreover, the violation committed was “unintentional.” Btw, who will ever say it’s intentional?
Also, the good mayor said he brought with him his wife Karen to rest and recover from breast cancer.
At this point it is relevant to recall the case of Senator Koko who tested positive for COVID-19 but took his wife Kathryna to Makati Med to give birth to their child on March 25 of this year. However, the senator should have been under home quarantine at that time since he was a PUI when tested for COVID-19 earlier on March 20.
Pimentel was investigated by the DOJ and the NBI for the alleged breach. But it took a former law dean from Makati school to file a suit in court against Senator Pimentel sometime in April. The case has since remained silent, however.
Anyway….
Mayor Zamora was humbled enough to apologize and even gotten in touch with his fellow mayor Benjamin Magalong to do so. The latter, ever the gentleman, accepted the apology but added an investigation of the quarantine protocol violations were in order and should run its course whoever are involved. This means, eventually, a case may be filed against Mayor Zamora and his police escorts possibly administratively and even criminally.
This is opposite of Jinggoy’s fate who was released from the San Juan police station without charges.
I just saw a Jinggoy internet photo with a naughty Erap smile!
