9 passengers nabbed for sneaking into Zamboanga City sans COVID test result
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) apprehended nine passengers who allegedly bribed their way into Zamboanga City without a negative test result for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In an incident report, the PCG said the unauthorized passengers boarded the Zamboanga City-bound passenger vessel MV Asian Star II at the Port of Jolo in Sulu on Wednesday, May 26. They were able to board the vehicle by allegedly bribing one of the crewmen of the ship.

“Investigation revealed that they gave Php 2,000 to the oiler of MV Asian Star II so they may be allowed to cross borders, even without the mandatory negative RT-PCR test results,” the Coast Guard said.
The passengers were apprehended at the ZCIP (Zamboanga City International Port( and were turned over to the City Tourism Office (CTO) of Zamboanga for health check-up and background checking.

The CTO of Zamboanga directed the violators to return to Jolo, Sulu on Wednesday night on board the same passenger vessel.
“They were also reminded about the possible harmful effect of their violation as one of them might be a carrier of the contagious virus, thereby endangering the lives of Zamboanga City residents,” the Coast Guard said.