MANILA – Presidential aspirant and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said Friday COVID-19 protocols were followed at his camp's Batangas outing after the interior department said it would investigate possible violations at a politician's event.
In a press conference, Domagoso said, “They are entitled to do what they want to do… We have followed all the health protocols. Due diligence was done by the province of Batangas & the City of Lipa.”
Aside from Domagoso’s slate, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, five incumbent Batangas representatives, 21 mayors and about 70 other members of the ONE Batangas coalition attended the event.
Participants were required to undergo swab tests before entering the Claro M. Recto events center, an indoor venue in Lipa.
In an online event Friday, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said he would be looking into reports of a candidate for a national position who recently visited Batangas to see if rules on holding mass gatherings were broken.
“I have heard a report in Batangas recently, that a running politician for a national position went to Batangas and there was sort of a violation of some… provisions of mass gathering,” he said.
Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, in a separate text message to ABS-CBN News, said they are waiting for the Philippine National Police’s formal report on the matter.
Neither Año nor Malaya named the candidate. But on Friday morning, Domagoso went to Lipa Batangas for the ONE Batangas event.
There, he formally secured the support of all incumbent Batangas lawmakers and 21 mayors for his presidential bid.
Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao also visited Lipa earlier this week.
--With reports from Zandro Ochona and Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News
Isko Moreno, Batangas, Ralph Recto, Aksyon Demokratiko, One Batangas, Eduardo Ano, investigation, health protocols, COVID-19, COVID-19 protocol, mass gatherings, Jonathan Malaya