The Tagbilaran City mayor has shown his political will and resolve in dealing with a “visitor” who arrived in Bohol but coordinated only with the local government unit (LGU) in the last minute when the “visitor” was already on his way to Bohol from Manila.
The Bohol Tribune learned from several sources that Mayor Yap insisted on the firm implementation of the protocols for incoming persons despite the fact that the “visitor” traveled in his capacity as one of the government officials.
More information gathered bared that this person is from Tagbilaran City and arrived at the Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) on July 9, 2020 on board a private plane dubbed as a government trip. When asked if the “visitor” had the necessary papers including the purpose of his trip to Bohol, Mayor Yap said yes.
The issue stems from an information stating that a private plane allegedly carrying a national government official landed at the BPIA on Thursday, July 9, 2020.
In an interview over “Newsmakers ug Uban Pa” program on Friday (July 10, 2020), Yap confirmed the arrival of the private plane, which was classified by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) as a “government flight”.
Yap said the private plane landed at the BPIA at around 3:30 pm on Thursday (July 9, 2020) and since one of the arriving passengers of the private plane is from Tagbilaran, the city got involved in the situation as this is the protocol, the mayor bared in the interview.
Yap assured the public that the “visitor” is now under quarantine in a quarantine facility.
“Rest assured gisunod gayud nato ang tanang protocols nga ang pasahero gi quarantine karon sa usa ka quarantine facilities nato.” Yap assured the public.
A source of The Bohol Tribune revealed that the government “visitor” is staying in one of the hotels in Tagbilaran, accredited as a quarantine facility.
The mayor said that the protocol is for the city government of Tagbilaran to provide a vehicle to the arriving Tagbilaranon with a vehicle driver donning the complete gear for protection against the Covid virus. The mayor said that based on the LGU’s investigation, the “visitor” boarded in a private vehicle (and not the official city government vehicle sent by the Mayor). The Mayor added that since there was very short notice of the arrival of the “visitor”, the vehicle sent by the city mayor to fetch the “visitor” came a bit late. As a result, the city government vehicle simply followed the private car of the “visitor” forming a convoy from Panglao to Tagbilaran City.
The mayor said that based on the documents provided to the CAAP, the “visitor” has a health certificate, the travel authority from the Philippine National Police Covid shield, and an order that the “visitor” is on an official trip.
Observers noticed, though, that the driver of the private car (where the “visitor” boarded from Panglao to Tagbilaran) did not wear the prescribed attire for a vehicle driver who is supposed to meet an incoming guest, LSI, OFW from outside of the province. The driver did not wear the personal protective equipment (PPE), sources said.
THE EXPOSE
The issue on the arrival of the “visitor” was hinted to The Bohol Tribune by a reliable source who felt some form of discomfort about the news of the arrival of the “visitor” that gave last minute notification to those concerned.
The informant was appeased, though, at the decision of Mayor Yap to stand firm on his decisive action to subject the “visitor” to the mandated number of days for quarantine and other protocols..
The revelations of the mayor during the interview over the “Newsmakers” program validated the statement that it was Mayor Baba’s political will coupled with a firm resolve that solved the entire situation.