BAGUIO CITY – The police here has arrested six of 12 passengers, including the driver, of a private vehicle who used fake RT-PCR results when they attempted to enter the quarantine checkpoint on Marcos Highway here Saturday.
Eleven passengers of a private Nissan van bearing plate number NAM-8925 driven by Andrew Anthony Manoloto went to the city for TESDA assessment as a requirement for their application going abroad.
In a report, Capt. Juan Carlos Recluta, chief of the Baguio City Police Office Station 10 on Marcos Highway, said that the vehicle was flagged down around 11 a.m.
The passengers were asked to present their documents showing proof of their being APOR (authorized persons outside residence), the only non-residents allowed to enter the city.
Recluta said the police at the checkpoint doubted the document and led the van to the central triage at the Baguio Convention Center where rigid screening of document is being done.
There, it was discovered that the six of the 12 RT-PCR result from the passengers were questionable.
Duty nurse Kathleen Mae Pagadut Copes subjected the six persons who showed questionable RT-PCR and antigen test result. One tested positive for COVID-19.
Upon investigation, the six admitted that they cannot afford an antigen or RT-PCR testing which prompted them to resort to the services of a faker in "Recto" where they obtained the fake medical certificate.
Police identified those who submitted fake RT-PCR results as James Balides Naing, 21, of B3, L2, Kamagong St., Commonwealth, Quezon City; Princess Lawigan Bernarte, 24, of B7, L11, PH 2, Sec 12 Pabahay, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan; Evelyn Barcelona Codilla, 30, of Commonwealth, Malaybay City, Bukidnon; Mylene Pagobo Eran, 31, of A-3 Bagong Silang Cavite; Josephine Abne Ogoc, 38, of Zamboanga City, and Milky Chill Candaza, 31.
The suspects face charges for falsification of documents and violating of Republic Act 11332, "an act providing policies and prescribing procedures on surveillance and response to notifiable diseases, epidemic and health events of public health concern."