ZAMBOANGA CITY – Local authorities have intercepted on Monday 32 individuals, including 10 policemen, for attempting to enter the city through using fake reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results.
Sarita Sebastian, City Tourism Officer, said in a virtual presser late Monday, the individuals arrived here by boat coming from the nearby provinces of Basilan and Sulu.
Four of the 10 policemen came from Basilan while the remaining six were from Sulu, Sebastian said.
Of the 22 civilians, Sebastian said 11 of them came from Basilan and the remaining 11 arrived from Sulu.
The “no swab test, no entry policy” remains a mandatory requirement for everyone who will travel to the city, regardless of the purpose of the trip.
The policy is mandated under Executive Order No. 644-2021 issued by Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar after the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases placed the city under general community quarantine for the entire July.
Sebastian said the fake RT-PCR test results were discovered by personnel under her office and of the City Health Office during profiling.
She said the incident has been communicated to the provincial governments of Basilan and Sulu for investigation.
Aside from the RT-PCR test results, other entry requirements are a valid identification card and other documents necessary depending on the purpose of travel.
These requirements need to be uploaded to the Safe, Swift Smart Passage travel management system for the issuance of the travel coordination permit.
Source: Philippines News Agency
