Manny Pacquiao and members of his household were asked by officials from Barangay Dasmariñas in Makati City to stay indoors for he might have a possible exposure to COVID-19.
There were documents leaked online wherein barangay officials were asking people inside the senator’s house not to leave the premises as he has been identified as a person under monitoring for a possible novel coronavirus infection as he was seen with Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III in a party inside his house through a viral video. The latter senator was already tested positive.
“You have been identified as a person under monitoring after the picture of you and [Senator Aquilino] Koko Pimentel in your house seen partying together went viral. Many of your colleagues in the Senate have been identified to be COVID positive. Therefore, you have to be quarantined at your own house,” Barangay Dasmariñas said in a leaked statement.
“For your own family and household’s safety, please have yourself self-quarantined, stay home. No one including any of your household can come out,” they added.
The officials also stated that their order was based on recommendations from doctors of Makati Medical Center who also live in the same barangay. They also added that they would “procure” to the needs of the Pacquiao household, delivering their needs on their doorstep, as they advised the household members to stay home.
However, Jayke Joson, Pacquiao’s special assistant, said that even without notification from the barangay, the boxer-politician has already started to practice self-quarantine.
“Confirm ‘yan kahit hindi sila magbigay notice eh mas nauna pa si Sen. MP (Manny Pacquiao) mag self-quarantine,” Joson said.
He also added that the viral video the officials have stated, a video of Pacquiao and Pimentel together in a party, happened last March 4 and claimed the latter tested positive for COVID-19 at around March 10-11.
Pacquiao and his family are staying in a house in Barangay Dasmariñas in Makati as their Forbes Parks mansion is under renovation.
As of Friday, three senators have been positive with COVID-19, namely Juan Miguel Zubiri, Koko Pimentel, and Sonny Angara.
Because of the rising cases of the disease in the country, Luzon has been placed in enhanced community quarantine. Officials from the Department of Health have reported 803 confirmed cases in the Philippines, 54 of which already died while 31 recovered.
