ZAMBOANGA CITY – Local authorities are set to file charges against 10 policemen of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) for presenting fake negative swab test results while trying to enter this city.
Maj. Shellamie Chang, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer, said Friday this was based on the recommendation of the City Legal Officer upon the request for legal advice of the Zamboanga City Police Office’s (ZCPO) Station 11.
Chang said the 10 policemen tried to enter this city with fake swab test results coming from the cities of Isabela and Lamitan in Basilan and Sulu, respectively.
City Tourism Officer Sarita Sebastian earlier said the policemen were intercepted on Monday after the fake swab test results were discovered by her personnel and the City Health Office during profiling.
Chang said among the cases to be filed include violation of Section 9, Paragraph B (Tampering of records or intentionally providing misinformation) of Republic Act 11332 otherwise known as the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
She said the erring cops will also be charged for violation of Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code for falsification of public documents.
She said the local Inter-Agency Task Force on the management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) will stand as the main complainant in the filing of the criminal charges against the 10 policemen.
She said that they will also endorse to PRO-BAR the filing of the corresponding administrative charges against the 10 policemen since PRO-9 has no jurisdiction over them.
The “no swab, no entry” policy is emphasized 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 (IATF-EID) placed this city under general community quarantine (GCQ) effective July 1 until July 30. (PNA)
