Police Snubbs Quarantine Checkpoint, Gets Own VIP Treatment
POLICE VIP TREATMENT – According to a city’s own mayor, a police official skipped a coronavirus checkpoint in Borongan, Eastern Samar, revealing other alleged quarantine breaches by officers.
Checkpoints were placed in most entrances and exits of cities to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19. However, some police officials snub these checkpoints and pass right through according to Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda.
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According to the mayor, Lt. Col. Joel Ana, a resident of Borongan, bypassed border control at around 7:30 P.M. on Saturday. Ana was assigned at Highway Patrol Group (HPG) headquarters and was riding inside a white van while being escorted by two police motorcycles.
Based on a report from ABS-CBN, Agda stated that there was a “VIP” that passed by the checkpoint. He added that it was a high-ranking official that went to their city and that it was the first time policemen were made as escorts.
Following this, a city counselor reported that the VIP official was Lt. Col., Joel Ana. Afterward, the city’s legal team was now investigating the incident which caused much alarm to the residents. Moreover, the city had yet to have a case of COVID-19, but the fact that a VIP was able to pass so easily could change that, some residents say.
As per the report, Mayor Agda stated:
Nakakahiya ho saka unfair sa mga taga-Borongan iyong ganyang pangyayari dahil ang expectation nila sa amin lalo na kung nasa gobyerno tayo, we should know how to abide by the law. Itong pandemyang ito, we can only defeat this if everybody will cooperate
However, Joint Task Force COVID Shield Commander Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said that there may have just been a misunderstanding between the authorities.
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