THE preliminary investigation on the complaint filed by lawyer Rico Quicho against Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III set on June 18 has been deferred anew to enable Quicho to submit the original complaint and its attachments.
Quicho filed the complaint against Pimentel through electronic mail or email due to the lockdown put in place to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento yesterday said Quicho has 10 days from receipt of the order to comply.
“If he will not comply, then the case will be submitted for resolution. The prosecutor can decide based on what is the available evidence,” he said, adding Pimentel will be given time to answer the complaint once Quicho submits it to the Justice Department.
“He will be given a period to answer. Submission of affidavits and his evidence. No need for face to face hearing,” Malcontento added.
The DOJ originally set the preliminary investigation of the case last May 20.
Malcontento assigned Assistant State Prosecutor Wendell Bendoval to conduct the preliminary investigation of the case filed last April 6.
In his complaint, Quicho, the former spokesman of the late chief justice Renato Corona and former Vice President Jejomar Binay, accused Pimentel of violating Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act and other DOH regulations when he accompanied his expectant wife, Kathryna, to the Makati Medical Center last March 24.
A few days after his visit to the MMC, Pimentel confirmed he tested positive for COVID-19.
His wife gave birth last March 29.
MMC management denounced Pimentel’s action since he was supposed to be under self quarantine at that time since he was considered a person under monitoring or PUM.