NBI probes fake COVID-19 test in Iloilo


ILOILO CITY—The Western Visayas regional office of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-6) has started its probe on the alleged conduct of a fake test for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Iloilo.

NBI-6 Agent Aris Bañares said the Western Visayas Medical Center-Sub-National Laboratory (WVMC-SNL), the laboratory managed by the Department of Health (DOH-6) in Iloilo City, recently uncovered the scheme after an employee from the Iloilo State College of Fisheries (ISCOF) in Dingle town found out that the COVID-19 test result was fake when trying to validate it with the hospital.

The alleged COVID-19 test result had the signatures of Arriane Sibal, Abigail Joy Pastolero, Andres Miranda, and Pierre Layson.  But the four signatories are not even employees of the hospital. 

The NBI-6 has summoned the ISCOF-Dingle employee to explain the circumstance of getting a swab test for COVID-19 that apparently turned out to be fake. 

Bañares noted that if the ISCOF-Dingle employee cannot fully explain the circumstance, the person may face a case of falsifying documents and for using the names of the DOH and WVMC-SNL.