One day after Makati Medical Hospital castigated him for breaking quarantine protocols, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III who was recently tested positive for COVID-19, came under fire again after the Lucio Tan-owned, premium membership-only supermarket confirmed he went grocery shopping two days after he reportedly felt body aches and flu.
S&R said in a statement that since there was a post circulating online about Pimentel being seen at S&R Bonifacio Global City branch, they immediately reviewed their CCTV’s.
It turned out to be true: The senator was seen checking out at counter 13 at exactly 1:59pm on March 16.
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“As a result, S&R employees who were in contact with the senator were already placed in quarantine. S&R BGC also took disinfection steps,” it said in its Facebook post.
March 16 falls two days after Pimentel — by his own account yesterday — that he first experienced body aches and flu. It was also four days since Senate was placed under “restrictive access” and some senators underwent self-quarantine after one of their resource persons was tested positive for COVID-19.
Pimentel, in an interview yesterday with ANC, explained that he was diligent in practising social distancing since Senate adjourned on March 11.
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“But to cooperate with the enhanced community quarantine, hindi rin naman po ako lumalabas. With or without quarantine hindi naman po ako lakwatsero. I’m a homebody. Natural po sa akin just to stay at home,” he told ANC.
“There’s no real official count because when the official session ended March 11, I limited already all my movements. Parang quarantine na rin po ‘yun diba? Only essential movements.”
