Año says Pasay mayor will decide on fate of councilor shouting at health workers doing COVID-19 tests

May 25, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday said it is up to the Pasay City government to impose sanctions on a councilor who was caught in a video allegedly shouting at health workers conducting rapid testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inside its session hall.

Año said Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto is informed of the incident and he will leave it to her to “resolve the issue and impose sanctions, if needed”.

"After all, the mayor has the authority to conduct the investigation," he added.

Año said they will not tolerate any harassment against health workers.

In a radio interview, Pasay City councilor Arnel  Arceo said he is shouting at the city health officer and not to the health workers as they were not informed that a rapid testing will be conducted in the city hall.

“I am not blaming the med tech (medical technologists)… my frustration is towards the city health office… we were not informed that’s why we were shocked, and afraid of what we saw. What if someone tested positive in their test inside the city hall?” Arceo said.

Arceo apologized to Philippine Association of Medical Technologists, Inc. (PAMET) and he is ready to face the consequences. Ella Dionisio/DMS