BY EDISON JOSEPH GONZALES and VICTOR REYES
A SECOND Filipina from the United States was found to have skipped the government’s mandatory quarantine for travelers, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said yesterday as the interior department disclosed that the first Filipina, now known as “Poblacion Girl,” has infected eight of her contacts with COVID-19.
Puyat, in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source, said the second female traveler never checked in at a hotel as required under COVID-19 protocols, but instead headed straight to her condominium where she got a massage, and posted on Instagram how she managed to skip quarantine.
“After this incident, somebody gave the name and even gave pictures na the day she arrived, nagpa-masahe pa (she even got a massage), as in she was even posting it on Instagram stories. Very proud ha na (that) she was skipping quarantine and her name was given and the person who knows her even gave a sworn affidavit. Nahuli na rin ‘yung tao na ‘yon (She was already caught),” she said in a CNN interview.
The DOT got the traveler’s name, mobile number, and residence, which were validated through a sworn affidavit of a person who knows the traveler, she also said.
In a statement issued late yesterday, the Department of Tourism said the traveler was referred to a hotel in Makati City for the mandatory quarantine period for arriving international passengers. “The hotel management, however, claimed that when its personnel went to the airport to pick up the individual, according to the procedure, the individual evaded going with hotel staff by claiming a quarantine exemption that turned out to be non-existent.”
It also said the case has been referred to the PNP.
“Poblacion Girl” stayed in a hotel also in Makati City but the establishment failed to keep the COVID-infected guest in quarantine. The guest went to Poblacion and attended a party where she infected other companions.
The DOT is expecting to get an explanation from the hotel before deciding on whether to penalize the establishment or suspend its accreditation.
Interior Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said Poblacion Girl infected seven close contacts and a secondary contact.
The woman arrived in Manila on December 22 and reported to the Berjaya Makati Hotel near midnight at 11:23 pm supposedly for mandatory quarantine.
“She didn’t stay there that long. She was there for less than 30 minutes. At around 11:42 p.m, she went home so it’s quite impossible that the hotel has nothing to do with this (violation of quarantine rules),” Malaya said at the “Laging Handa” press briefing, citing initial investigation conducted by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
The PNP is conducting investigation to determine the criminal liability of both the woman and the hotel. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the PNP was due to complete its probe yesterday and charges may be filed.
The woman went to a party at a Makati City bar the following day. On December 27, results of the woman’s RT-PCR test showed that she is positive for COVID-19.
Año earlier said he got word that 15 of those who were with the woman in the party have tested positive for COVID-19 but the information was still subject to validation.
Yesterday, Malaya said: “Of her 15 close contacts, seven already tested positive for COVID-19 and out of her 19 secondary contacts, one tested positive so Poblacion Girl’s going out of the quarantine hotel turned out to be a super spreader event.”
Año said he has ordered the PNP to conduct regular inspection of quarantine hotels amid reports that some Filipinos returning from abroad are skipping quarantine by bribing hotel officials.
“We will be stricter this time. I ordered the Philippine National Police, in coordination with the BOQ (Bureau of Quarantine), to conduct regular inspection of our quarantine hotels.
There will be random inspections also,” said Año.
“We will issue show-cause orders against them if there will be violation,” he added.
Año said DILG and the PNP will make sure that returning Filipinos are all accounted for and are undergoing the required quarantine.
He said the PNP will request from the BOQ, an agency under the Department of Health, a list of the returning Filipinos who are supposed to be staying in the quarantine hotels and will physically check their presence in these hotels.
“All those found absent from the facilities will be charged together with the hotel or facility management and staff in cahoots with these individuals,” said Año.
He said there have been cases of travelers skipping quarantine even before the case of Poblacion Girl became public. He said the returning Filipinos skip quarantine on prodding of their relatives by bribing hotel staff.
Año said the BOQ have filed charges against some hotels before.
He said he himself discovered a case after a Filipino boasted he skipped quarantine. He said the man was accosted and brought back to the quarantine hotel.
“This time, we will be stricter. We will not bring them back (to the quarantine hotels), we will also file charges against the individuals who committed the violation,” Año said, referring to those who are skipping quarantine.
Malaya said there are eight quarantine hotels in Metro Manila housing travelers with COVID-19 and 150 other hotels serving as quarantine facilities.
Puyat said there are two to three hotels which are allegedly allowing guests subject to mandatory quarantine to go out and return in the facility on the fifth day of isolation for their COVID-19 tests.
Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said the government will implement the “fullest extent of the law” on quarantine violators, whether individuals or establishments. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
