Roque dismisses as fake news alleged hotel stay in Pasay

MANILA – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who recently tested positive for Covid-19, dismissed as fake news reports that he is currently isolating in a presidential suite in a luxury hotel in Pasay City.

In a virtual presser on Thursday, Roque clarified that he actually checked in a 2-star hotel in San Juan City on Annapolis Street.

“Yung chinichismis po na nandun ako sa Pasay (To those spreading rumors that I’m in Pasay), I do not even know if we have the means to pay for that hotel dahil masyadong grande po ‘yan, 7-star hotel po ‘yan (because it’s a grand hotel, it’s a 7-star hotel),” he said.

Since last year, the government has been using 2 to 3-star hotel rooms to increase the number of isolation centers for mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.

“Ang alam ko po 2 to 3-star hotels lang po ang kinukuha natin including motels. Hindi naman po ako nasa motel, 2-star hotel naman po (What I know is the government only taps 2 to 3-star hotels including motels. I’m not in a hotel, but a 2-star hotel),” he added.

Roque said he is considering self-quarantine at home since he is asymptomatic.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier issued necessary guidelines for home quarantine instead of sending suspected cases to quarantine facilities.

“I’m noticing na parang ako lang asymptomatic dito (that I’m the only asymptomatic one here) and everyone else has symptoms no. So I’m conferring with my doctor actually if I’m better off staying here or if I should go home,” he said.

On Monday, Roque bared that he tested positive for Covid-19, the same day he was supposed to attend a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte.

Officials who have come in close contact with Roque including testing czar Vince Dizon and Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Marcos-Manotoc have also placed themselves under isolation.

Roque said he was “shocked” and “surprised” that he tested positive for Covid-19 and admitted that he regretted not getting inoculated with a vaccine.

The interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group’s (iNITAG) has discouraged government officials to get inoculated until all frontline healthcare workers receive the vaccine.

He, however, declined to make public his Covid-19 test result, stressing that “it’s not important.”

Despite contracting Covid-19, Roque said he will continue to discharge his function while under isolation and attend meetings via video conference.