FIVE air passengers from one flight traveling to Davao City were caught on Monday, December 21, for submitting fake reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport, also known as Davao International Airport.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio confirmed the report during her interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
She said the incident was reported around 10:49 a.m.
"Dunay mga various laboratories nga ilang gi-fake ang result (They falsified the test results of several Covid-19 laboratories)," Duterte-Carpio said.
She, however, did not disclose further details on the point-of-origin of the passengers.
Their apprehension came days after a forensic officer assigned at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory-Davao was also caught for falsifying her RT-PCR test result.
The city had also apprehended a number of air passengers in the previous weeks for falsifying their Covid-19 test result.
Duterte-Carpio reiterated again her call not to falsify Covid-19 test results as there is no point in doing so, given that there is free swab testing upon arrival at the airport.
She added it will also put them and other people in danger in case they turned out to be positive of the Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease.
Upon interview by the Airport Health Monitoring Team, Duterte-Carpio revealed that most air passengers resorted to falsifying their test results so they can leave the airport immediately.
"Base sa mga istorya, dili sila gusto muhulat sa ilahang test result (Based on interviews, they do not want to wait for their test results). So they want to come in, and leave immediately," the mayor said.
She added, "Kaning mga ing-ani nga tao are very dangerous because the fact nga dili sila naga-submit sa testing, wala ta kahibalo if they are asymptomatic, or kung naa man sila'y sintomas, ginatago nila. Kani sila will become another community transmission na hinungdan nato (These people are very dangerous due to the fact that since they don’t submit themselves to testing. We won’t know if they are asymptomatic. Some may also manifest symptoms but would choose to keep quiet about it. They could be the cause of a community transmission)."
Since implementing the requirement of an RT-PCR negative test result in July, 12 Davao-bound passengers have already been apprehended by the Airport Health Monitoring Team.
Passengers who will be caught falsifying their test results will be swabbed first. Once confirmed negative, they will be forwarded to the police for investigation and formal filing of charges.
Duterte-Carpio said the City Government is strict in allowing air passengers to come into the city.
The City Government imposed the mandatory RT-PCR test to ensure that those entering the city are free from coronavirus. Arriving passengers had been attributed in the previous months to the rising Covid-19 cases in the city.
Passengers who fail to secure an RT-PCR test result will be tested for free but would have to wait for their test results for a maximum of 48 hours at the holding facility.
With the expected number of passengers who will be coming home to the city to celebrate Christmas, Duterte-Carpio reminded them to plan their trip. If possible, she advised them to take their RT-PCR ahead in their point-of-origin to avoid waiting their test result upon arrival.