BORACAY – Eight tourists were arrested at a hotel here on Jan. 3 for presenting fraudulent negative coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test results.
They were brought to the Aklan Training Center which served as quarantine facility in Kalibo, Aklan for isolation.
They were swabbed and their specimens were taken for testing by the molecular laboratory at the Aklan provincial hospital, according to Caticlan port administrator Atty. Selwyn Ibarreta.
The tourists arrived at the Caticlan port in Malay, Aklan from Batangas on Jan. 2 via a roll-on roll-off vessel. They then presented their quick response (QR) codes with Aklan Online Health Declaration Card for scanning.
Their QR codes, issued by the Aklan provincial validating team before the tourists began their trip, were provisional, subjected to the validation of their supposedly negative COVID-19 tests performed allegedly by the laboratory of the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center in Manila.
The tourists claimed they had their specimens collected on Dec. 28, 2020 by the hospital laboratory and the results were released on Dec. 30.
It turned out, however that the hospital laboratory had neither tested nor issued medical certificates to the eight tourists.
“Posibleng may sindikato na nagtitinda ng mga pekeng COVID test results. Maging vigilant tayo, lalong-lalo na sa mga pumapasok na turista sa Boracay,” Ibarreta stressed.
Visitors entering the island are required to present negative COVID-19 test results not earlier than 72 hours prior to arrival, as well as, confirmed bookings from accredited accommodation establishments in Boracay.
Last Dec. 7, 2020 local authorities nabbed six tourists for presenting fake COVID-19 test results./PN
