Anne Curtis refutes Koko Pimentel’s ‘baseless case’ claim on Makati Med issue

Anne Curtis (left) and Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (Images: Instagram/@annecurtissmith; INQUIRER/Lyn Rillon)

Anne Curtis refuted Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III’s claim that the legal action taken against him for breaching quarantine protocols at the Makati Medical Center (MMC) was a “baseless case.”

Curtis took to Twitter earlier today, July 18, to emphasize that it was “reckless and irresponsible” for Pimentel to go to the hospital without knowing his COVID-19 test result back then.

“I understand excited sya sa baby nya (for his baby), BUT he was waiting for the result of his test. Going to the hospital not knowing if he’s positive or not for [COVID-19] was reckless & irresponsible — putting lives at risk,” the actress stressed.

“Imagine babies with low immune systems pa. It is not a ‘baseless case,'” she added.

I understand excited sya sa baby nya, BUT he was waiting for the result of his test. Going to the hospital not knowing if he’s positive or not for covid-19 was reckless & irresponsible – putting lives at risk. Imagine babies with low immune systems pa. It is not a “baseless case” https://t.co/GFbiiClyUI

— Anne Curtis-Smith (@annecurtissmith) July 17, 2020

Curtis’ tweet was in reaction to an INQUIRER report of Pimentel branding as “baseless” the legal action taken against him by former law dean Rico Quicho for allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols imposed by the government last March.

Pimentel accompanied his then-pregnant wife to the MMC despite being on the 10th day of his quarantine after manifesting symptoms of COVID-19.

The lawmaker received a call from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine while inside the hospital, confirming he was positive for the novel coronavirus.

Contrary to rumors that he lingered inside the hospital after the call, Pimentel claimed that he immediately left as soon as he received the news.

Quicho filed the complaint in April, accusing Pimentel of violating Republic Act No. 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events Act of 2018, and other regulations of the Department of Health.

The MMC then denounced Pimentel for his “irresponsible and reckless” actions, which the hospital said created more problems for the rapidly depleting healthcare sector while the pandemic was growing.

Pimentel has since recovered from COVID-19 and submitted to the Department of Justice a counter-affidavit, the content of which he opted to keep private.  /ra

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