Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso ordered an investigation on an operation wherein syndicates offer those in Manila who are seeking to return to their provinces costly but fake swab tests for COVID-19.
(Photo by Jansen Romero / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Manila mayor said this after Lt. Col. Rosalino Ibay Jr. presented two suspects who reportedly pretended to be members of the city government to victimize Badjaos, charging them at least P1,000 per swab test.
Around a hundred fake swab test results were recovered from the arrested suspects.
Domagoso reiterated that swab tests provided by the Manila city government are all free of charge.
He also said that the operation may be the doing of a large syndicate involved in estafa and human trafficking.
"Mahirap na nga, pinapahirapan niyo pa (They are already poor, and you keep making it hard for them)," the local chief executive told the arrested suspects during his Capital Report on Friday, March 5. "Dapat 'pag hindi edukado, ginagabayan ninyo (When they are not educated, you should be guiding them)." Further investigation is underway, Ibay said.