BiliranIsland.com Staff
BiliranIsland.com
First Posted 06:10 PM 6/14/2020
Last Updated 08:25 PM 6/14/2020
Naval, Biliran— Gov. Rogelio J. Espina has appealed to all Punong Barangays to make sure that returning residents are actual resident of the barangay and not close friends.
The appeal came after the reported second COVID-19 positive case in the province from the Municipality of Almeria, is not a resident of the said town.
The DOH on June 13 issued COVID-19 positive results stating that 36 yrs old female LSI from the Municipality of Almeria was the second positive in the province, but EV-132 is a male.
He came from all the way from Manila on board a private van with 8 other passengers and after the profiling and swab test in Palo, he boarded another private van to Biliran.
Gov. Espina on his post on Friday stated that the individual named EV-132 is not from the said municipality but from the Municipality of Mahaplag, Leyte.
According to Salangi, Almeria Punong Barangay Isidro Sumaya, said that the brother in law of EV-132 acquired the Certificate of Acceptance in his office claiming the patient works here and the husband of her sister. He said that they were only surprised when the news came that the second COVID-19 positive came from their town and was later learned to be in their barangay. He said that after learning the identity of the patient they immediately locked down the house where they lived and does not allow the family to come out from their abode.
Gov. Espina went on to say that Provincial Government wholly depends on issuance of Barangay Certification of actual residence by our Brgy. Captains before we release a Certificate of acceptance. He said that they are in a state of Pandemic where anyone can be a carrier of the virus and may infect our communities. He added that this Almeria case must be investigated to prevent other Barangay Officials from releasing False Certifications in the near future.
“Barangay Officials may be misled by a few returning residents to issue such certificate in favor of non residents of the province due to personal reasons.” Gov. Espina stressed.
A contact tracing is already on going with the persons who was with the private van that they boarded from Palo to Biliran. Four of his co passengers were from Brgy. Iyusan and 2 from Brgy. Salangi while one was from the capital town of Naval.
One of the biggest problems noted by the officials was that only one cellular phone was being used by the two quarantined persons. The cellphone is owned by the LSI who turned COVID positive, which was always borrowed by another LSI who is a lady. They rode the same van from Manila to Palo, then to Biliran. They are now isolated in the quarantine facility of the baranggay.
Very quiet Brgy. Salangi, Almeria, Biliran, after one returnee turned out to be Covid positive, the first for the town. Two returnees are now quarantined in their isolation facility. Photo by Jalmz
In a Facebook post, Mahaplag Mayor Daisy Tan Abuyabor confirmed that the said COVID positive patient is not from Almeria but from their town, Mahaplag, Leyte. The 36- year old man was able to acquire a certification from the Punong Baranggay of Salangi, Almeria through his supposed brother in law who claimed that the man is an LSI who is working in Salangi. The patient borded a private van from Manila with 8 others. After undergoing profiling and SWAB test in Palo, Leyte, he borded another van to Almeria. According to the Mayor, there was no coordination from the patient with the MDRRMO Mahaplag. It was later on gathered through reports and social media posts that the patient is not actually married to a resident of Salangi, they are still lovers.
“Nagsayop si Kap. Ningsalig sa sayop nga pasalig.”
Sumala kang Salangi Barangay Captain Isidro Sumaya, ang bayaw kono ang ning kuha sa iya ug certificate. Kay dire kuno mag trabaho ang nag Covid positive. Asawa kuno sa iyang igsoon. Ka gabii lang nahibaluan ni Kap nga uyab ra diay ang nag paalayon ug certificate.
– BiliranIsland.com
