BORACAY – Fraudulent coronavirus test results have cropped up again after the national government allowed visitors from the National Capital Region and its adjacent provinces to enter areas under modified general community quarantine such as Aklan and Boracay Island.
In less than a week, 11 tourists were caught with tampered reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab test results as pre-entry requirements to Boracay Island.
On June 7, four tourists from Negros Island were arrested at the Tabon jetty port terminal in Barangay Caticlan.
Tabon port is the alternate entry port to Boracay Island during the habagat season or inclement weather.
The tourists where attempting to enter the island when a port employee spotted a tampering of validity dates on their COVID-free certificates.
A tampered result is a document obtained from a licensed laboratory but altered to reflect a negative COVID-19 result, and details such as names, dates, and contact details were also changed to misinterpret the facts surrounding the issuance.
The extraction team brought the tourists to Kalibo, Aklan for their mandatory quarantine. Swab specimens were collected for processing by a molecular laboratory at the Aklan provincial hospital.
Seven tourists from the National Capital Region were also extracted from Boracay Island on June 4. The provincial validating team discovered they presented counterfeit COVID-19 test results hours after entering their hotels in the island.
They would likely facing criminal charges for violating Republic Act No. 11332 or the law on mandatory reporting of communicable diseases, and the falsification of documents.
The Department of Justice and the Department of Tourism have urged travelers to show proof of negative COVID-19 saliva or swab tests with 72 hours validity period and confirmed hotel bookings.
A quick response code is also issued to a tourist to be presented upon entry to port terminals and establishments./PN
