Filipinos want to know and remember the names of politicians who got VIP testing for COVID-19

• Broadcasters also called out the politicians and said that frontliners are more eligible to get tested first. 
• Two politicians that were involved apologized. 

Amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a netizen has tweeted that everyone should remember the names of politicians who requested to be tested before symptomatic frontliners and citizens.

“Sila yung mga taong inuuna ang sarili nila bago ang mga MAMAMAYAN!” Jerico Gutierrez wrote.

TANDAAN NYO ANG MGA POLITKONG NAGPAPATEST KAHIT HINDI NAMAN KAILANGAN.

Sila yung mga taong inuuna ang sarili nila bago ang mga MAMAMAYAN!

— Jerico Gutierrez (@jericogutierrrz) March 22, 2020

The list includes President Rodrigo Duterte, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Grace Poe, Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Bong Revilla, and Francis Tolentino. This was after Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri tested positive.

Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, and Bong Go have been also tested the week prior.

They were then slammed by broadcaster and news anchor Karen Davila for prioritizing themselves in spite of limited test kits.

Nakakagalit. Tumigil na kayong mga pulitiko at staff ninyo na nagpapa-test pa sa bahay pa sa ating DOH surveillance team. Dapat lahat ng pangalan nyo mabunyag sa totoo lang.

— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) March 21, 2020

Lauren Young quoted Davila’s tweet saying that the politicians’ names should be revealed so that people would know who to vote for in the next election.

We need names so we know who to give our votes to during the next election. https://t.co/a4743ZPgob

— Lauren Young (@loyoung) March 22, 2020

Other netizens then uploaded a longer list which also included Dick Gordon and his wife, Francis Tolentino, Ping Lacson, Rene Samonte, Franklin Drilon and his wife, Jonvic Remulla, Mark Villar, Arthur Tugade, Carlos Dominguez III, and Dominique Roque, among others.

Servants of the people indeed. pic.twitter.com/FPQl2K6vCT

— Gino Quillamor (@ginoboi) March 23, 2020

GMA News correspondent Dano Dingcungco shaded a government official who had the audacity to even take a selfie after taking the COVID-19 test in their home.

Just saw another selfie of a government official who had a COVID-19 test done in the comfort of their own home.

All while other people including us media workers, who are always out, cannot be tested unless we show symptoms.

— Dano Tingcungco (@danotingcungco) March 22, 2020

A conversation between a netizen and an alleged frontliner also went viral. The supposed health worker said that the politicians who wish to be tested are labeled under a special code which gives them the power to be prioritized when it comes to testing.

https://twitter.com/darnitJC/status/1241633373698711555

A Twitter user was also horrified with Sotto’s statement saying that he’s still waiting for the results of his second test.

Tito Sotto was interviewed by GMA Super Radyo saying his COVID19 test result was negative BUT IS WATING FOR THE RESULT OF THE SECOND TEST.

Excufuckinguse me? Habang the frontliners can’t even get tested dahil prio ang mga tao?! #MassTestingNowPH

— Tito Maroon #ParaSaBayan (@maroontito) March 22, 2020

Remulla and Tolentino apologize

On Twitter, Remulla apologized for not following protocols and getting tested and promised to never take advantage of his power again.

“There’s a protocol and triage algorithm set by DOH that I may have skipped. I would like to apologize and I promise never to take advantage of my position again. I take full responsibility if you think I took advantage of my position,” he wrote.

I take full responsibility. There’s a protocal and triage algorithm set by DOH. In the spirit of transparency… pic.twitter.com/bRwso4WrIb

— Jonvic Remulla (@jonvicremulla) March 18, 2020

Tolentino also apologized in a Facebook post which is now deleted.

“If I came out positive, [I] will also post so the people who came near me would know the result whether positive or negative. My apologies to those offended,” he said.

“I apologize if I undertook the same as I was likewise exposed to the persons my colleagues got in contact with during our hearings.”