‘Dura lex, spandex?’ Netizens react to NCR police chief’s birthday bash amid lockdown

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Downloaded photo from NCRPO Facebook.

By REIN TARINAY
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Filipino netizens are up in arms over the series of photos of “mañanita” for Major General Debold Sinas, National Capital Region Police Office chief, who celebrated his 55th birthday.

The now deleted album uploaded to the official Facebook page of the NCRPO showed Sinas celebrating his birthday with his troops at Camp Bagong Diwa. Due to the uproar, the police has claimed the photos were “edited.”

This has stirred reactions from netizens, assailing the Philippine police’s double standards. Photos showed Sinas receiving roses, blowing the candle on top of a Voltes V-inspired cake and men and women in uniform eating food from a buffet table.

Sinas, an implementor of quarantine protocol, denied there was a party.

Human rights groups have earlier criticized the Philippine government for arresting more people than conducting mass testing to combat the dreaded virus.

A separate set of photos that have gone viral also showed Sinas and his troops taking alcoholic drinks. It is not, however, clear if this was taken in the same event. Liquor ban has been imposed in Metro Manila.

The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said it is a tragedy of how “selective mercy and hypocritical compassion” is only for the rich and powerful.

“As one observer said, dura lex, spandex, for them,” said NUPL president Edre Olalia.

The Philippine National Police said it will look into the said “mañanita.” (https://www.bulatlat.com)

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