FOURTEEN individuals have been apprehended by checkpoint authorities after presenting fraudulent travel documents in a bid to enter Baguio City, which is implementing stricter border protocols, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said.
Magalong, who is also the government’s contact tracing czar, said 377 other travelers were denied entry by the police for lacking documents, and three colorum vehicles or illegally-operating public transport vehicles were apprehended since August 1.
Operatives of the city police’s Station 10 apprehended the 14 travelers at the Marcos Highway checkpoint, and likewise denied entry to 141 travelers who lacked the necessary documents.
Baguio City has imposed stricter border protocols since last month to control the spread of COVID-19, including the highly transmissible Delta variant. There are nine checkpoints put up in the city’s entry and exit points.
The city currently prohibits non-essential or leisure travel of individuals from areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), modified ECQ, and general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions.
Individuals on non-essential travel from GCQ and modified GCQ areas are allowed, but those who are unvaccinated and not fully-vaccinated need to present negative RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to entry.
The city is under general community quarantine. As of Tuesday, the city has registered 16,792 cases — of which 15,809 have recovered, 654 are active cases and 329 have died.
