UPDATED:
A video showing Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III socializing in a birthday party has recirculated on social media.
Pimentel was facing controversy after he allegedly exposed some staff of Makati Medical Center to COVID-19 after he was found positive to the virus.
On Wednesday, Founding Chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines Joma Sison, posted a video of Pimentel while socializing with different high-profile guests.
Senator Manny Pacquiao was also spotted on the video, which seems to introduce some guests to Pimentel.
It can also be shown that Pimentel was cheek-kissing some of the guests
Sison suspected that Pimentel was already contracted COVID-19 when he attended the said party during that time.
However, even Sison couldn’t give the exact date when the video was taken as it was only sent to him by one of his social media followers or friends.
“Sabi ng nagpadala na isa ito sa dalawang parties na dinaluhan ni Koko after he was found to have Covid-19. At any rate, binatikos na siya ng isang ospital sa pagkakalat,” Sison said.
A netizen said that the video was possibly taken before the national government imposed ‘enhanced community quarantine’.
“I heard this was taken before lockdown but Pimentel was already positive of COVID-19. Selfish guy. Even MMC health workers were forced to quarantine because of him. if someone caught the virus from him and dies, can he be sued for reckless endangerment? Dapat lang diba,” netizen Marilen Alonzo.
Finally, someone informed Sison that the video was taken during a fellowship dinner consisting of PDP-LABAN members and supporters on March 4.
It was reported that Pimentel and other Senators were only exposed to a COVID-19 positive patient on March 11 so its possible that the former was not yet sick during the fellowship dinner.
UPDATE: PDP-Laban spokesman Johnny Pimentel said that Senator Koko had a contact with a positive COVID person on March 5.
He urged all the members of PDP-Laban to take a COVID-19 test.