PDP-Laban won't take action against Pimentel —spokesperson

The PDP-Laban party will not take action against its president, Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, even as he breached coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) protocols.

In a message to GMA News Online on Thursday, Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel, spokesperson of PDP-Laban, said the party will not conduct an investigation or take action against Senator Koko for accompanying his wife to Makati Medical Center (MMC) on Tuesday evening for the delivery of their baby even as he was a person under investigation for COVID-19 at that time.

"Senator Koko learned that he was positive on March [24] at 9 p.m. [and] he went to MMC at 7 p.m. The moment he learned he was positive he immediately left the premises," the House leader said.

"So therefore he was not aware that he was already infected. At this point in time there is no basis for PDP-Laban to conduct a probe or take action," he added.

Likewise, Cong. Pimentel said the party will not take a similar action against the senator even as he attended a meeting of PDP-Laban on March 4 at the residence of Senator Manny Pacquiao.

"We believe that during that time he was not yet infected by the virus so there is really no need to make a probe," he said.

Cong. Pimentel urged all their members to undergo self-quarantine.

"The party also gives its full support to our party president Senator Koko," he added.

MMC on Wednesday denounced Senator Pimentel for his "reckless" actions and for breaching the hospitals' infection and containment protocols against COVID-19.

The senator has already apologized to the hospital over the incident.

"I never intended to breach any protocol but I realize now that my presence in MMC unnecessarily caused additional anguish and concern to the courageous frontline health workers we all depend on. I was simply there to be with my wife during the birth of our daughter," he said. —LDF, GMA News