By Prince Golez
President Rodrigo Duterte’s lawyer, Salvador Panelo, rode a jeepney Sunday morning to see firsthand how health safety protocols are implemented on public transport.
Photos allegedly taken by a commuter also showed Panelo at Agora Public Market in San Juan City.
Netizens, however, were quick to speculate that Panelo’s commuting stunt was staged.
“Stalker yung commuter? And that didn’t raise any alarm bells? Lokohin nyo lelong niyo, for all we know, the jeepney was rented and the other passengers are members of his household,” according to a tweet from @AustriaCanada.
@notinherent said: “Aga manganpanya ah. Daming time. Umabot pa sila ng San Juan eh may market naman sa Marikina.”
@mxrknoble also tweeted: “Same ata sila ng pupuntahan ng ;another commuter’ sabay na sila namalengke.”
A netizen also criticized the abogado for wearing the wrong face shield, a protective equipment that gives an individual additional protection against coronavirus disease.
“Yung face shield niya yung type na di covered yung mouth area and usually di pinapayagan papasukin sa malls – para sa mga karaniwang tao. Iba sya e! Tsk,” @StWasabi wrote.
@fly1ngstar, on one hand, praised Panelo for taking public transportation to the public market.
“Ok namn ginawa ni Sir Panelo. Mas magaan din sa pakiramdam kung subukan niyo ganyan lifestyle. Minsan sa isang linggo mamalengke at sumakay sa jeep at ‘wag puro utos sa ksambahay at palagi magarang sasakyan! Normal daily routine sa simple mamayan.”
In 2019, Panelo, who insisted that there was no mass transport crisis in Metro Manila, took four jeepneys and rode pillion after militant groups challenged him to commute from his home in Marikina to Malacañang.
