DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said on Wednesday, June 10, that they were not filing any charges against San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora over the alleged violation of health protocols in Baguio City.
“There is no need so far unless the current investigation on the PNP escorts would implicate Mayor Zamora that he intentionally ordered not to stop at the checkpoint. So far there is no issue on governance or abuse of authority. There was miscommunication and arrogance on the part of PNP escorts,” he said.
“Despite what happened, the party obliged and still underwent the screening and triage protocols at CHSO premises. Zamora has expressed his public and personal apology to Mayor (Benjie) Magalong which the latter accepted already and I talked to Mayor Magalong and he said he would not file any complaint against Mayor Zamora,” he added.
Zamora’s group who were then on board six vehicles on convoy, arrived at the Kennon Road quarantine checkpoint around 2:30 p.m. on June 5.
Magalong said that instead of stopping at the checkpoint for the conduct of mandatory inspection which is part of the health protocols of the Baguio City LGU to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the driver of the lead vehicle just slowed down and told the checkpoint personnel that he was part of a convoy, pointing to the vehicles tailing his police car.
The checkpoint personnel immediately reported the incident to the concerned agency which prompted the personnel from Baguio City Police Office traffic operations center to tail the convoy until it reached the Baguio Country Club.
Visitors in Baguio are supposed to undergo triage health examination. Baguio City has been tagged as a model city in the fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
But since they failed to do so, the City Health Service Office immediately set up a triage facility in BCC “purposely to ensure that containment and isolation, if needed, were done.”
Zamora earlier apologized for the incident, saying he was asleep when they passed through the checkpoint.
Five policemen assigned in San Juan City have been relieved pending investigation on the incident. (SunStar Philippines)