Pinupuri ni Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo si Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong dahil sa pagkakaroon ng “delicadeza” na magbitiw sa tungkulin bilang contact tracing czar sa gitna ng mga batikos, ngunit sinabi na kailangan ng kadalubhasaan ng huli upang tugunan ang pandemyang COVID-19.
Ginawa ni Panelo ang pahayag makaraang ipahayag ni Magalong ang kanyang pagbibitiw matapos umani ng pagbatikos para sa pagdalo nila ng kanyang asawa sa pagdiriwang ng eventologist na si Tim Yap noong Enero 17.
Gayunpaman, ang kanyang pagbitiw ay tinanggihan ng National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19.
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Sa isang pahayag, sinabi ni Panelo na lubos na pinahahalagahan ang kilos ni Magalong.
“We appreciate Mayor Magalong’s delicadeza and finesse amid the recent issue at his hometown which was pounced upon by the government’s critics and detractors,” aniya.
Gayunman, sinabi ni Panelo kay Magalong na kailangan ang kanyang expertise sa pagtugon sa COVID-19 pandemic.
“During these times of uncertainty, however, the country needs all the help it can get, especially from those who have expertise in fields required to address the transmission and further spread of the COVID-19 virus,” aniya.
“Local contact tracing efforts have greatly improved and have become more efficient following the architecture and methodology that Mayor Magalong designed based on his experience,” dagdag niya.
Tiwala naman ang opisyal ng Palasyo na patuloy na gagawin ni Magalong ang kanyang trabaho bilang tracing czar ng bansa.
“Moving forward, we trust that Mayor Magalong will continue to focus on his significant task of tracing those who have been exposed to the virus for proper processing and subsequent quarantine as we commit our support to him in his said colossal job,” sinabi ni Panelo.
“We need all hands on deck. Thus, the continued assistance of those with proven competence will be invaluable in our fight against COVID-19,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi ni Magalong na dumalo siya at ang kanyang asawa sa pagdiriwang upang ipahayag ang kanyang pasasalamat kay Yap sa pagtataguyod ng Baguio City bilang isang ligtas na patutunguhan ng turista sa gitna ng COVID-19 pandemya.
Sinabi ni Presidential spokesman Harry Roque na hindi siya sigurado kung personally liable si Magalong sa mga paglabag sa quarantine.
“Mere attendance is not actionable. Siya ba ay nag-observe ng social distancing, siya ba ay naka-mask. Kung ganoon naman, wala siyang liability,” aniya.
“I have not seen him in any photo indicating that he did not observe social distancing or he was not wearing a mask. So he personally may not have liability but he has said that there are lapses,” dagdag niya.
Samantala, ang mga sangkot sa viral party, kasama na si Yap, ay pinatawan ng P1,500 na multa dahil sa paglabag sa quarantine protocols ng Baguio City.
-Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
