ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | April 25, 2021
Nagbitiw na si Government COVID-19 Response Adviser Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa bilang executive vice- president ng University of the Philippines, ayon sa nasabing unibersidad ngayong Linggo.
Personal umano ang rason ng pagbibitiw ni Herbosa at may panghihinayang man ay tinanggap ito ni UP President Danilo Concepcion. Pahayag ni Concepcion sa pagbibitiw ni Herbosa, “In your service as executive vice-president, you have shown how vital this position can be to the governance of the University.
Nagsilbing executive vice-president si Herbosa nang magsimula ang administrasyon ni Concepcion sa UP noong 2017.
Kamakailan ay inulan ng pambabatikos mula sa mga netizens si Herbosa dahil sa naging tweet niyang “Death by ‘Community Pantry’” kaugnay ng pagkamatay ng isang senior citizen habang nakapila sa inorganisang community pantry ng aktres na si Angel Locsin sa Quezon City.
Kasunod nito ay humingi ng paumanhin si Herbosa sa kanyang tweet at aniya sa Facebook post, “I sincerely apologize for my tweet earlier today, tagging as ‘death by community pantry’ news of a senior citizen's death at a community pantry of a celebrity. It may have sounded like a criticism but was ill-judged, when many are facing hardships & being helped by these kind hearted souls.” Iginiit din ni Herbosa na sumusuporta siya sa “acts of kindness” ngunit aniya ay tutol siya sa mga insidente ng paglabag sa COVID-19 health protocols na maaaring maging dahilan ng lalong paglobo ng kaso ng Coronavirus disease.
Saad pa ni Herbosa, “I suggested ways to do community pantries without risk to senior citizens. “I felt angry over a preventable death, & ended up issuing the tweet when I could have expressed it in a better way.”
Paglilinaw din naman ni Herbosa sa kanyang pagbibitiw, “I assure you this has nothing to do with the institution that I serve, the University of the Philippines, I have filed a leave of absence while I reflect on my actions & this misstep.”