Five (5) personnel of the Phillippine Ports Authority (PPA) based in the port of Tagbilaran arrived in the city allegedly without certificates of acceptance coming from the local government unit (LGU), reports say.

Acting port police chief Insp. Greg de la Cruz confirmed with The Bohol Tribune that 5 PPA personnel arrived in Tagbilaran about 3:30 am, on Monday, Jan. 4, 2020.

Any person arriving from outside Bohol, including authorized persons outside residence (APOR) need to secure a certificate of acceptance from the receiving LGU. The person who arrived in Bohol from outside the province needs to be placed under quarantine in a quarantine facility, based on the arrival protocols implemented here.

He said the personnel were able to secure Covid shield certification and this is the reason they were allowed to embark on a voyage to Tagbilaran from Cebu.

The port police chief said the personnel went to their respective quarters inside the port area after their arrival.

De la Cruz, upon learning of the personnel’s arrival, asked for their respective certificates of acceptance. The personnel were unable to show any.

As of this writing, the personnel are trying to secure their respective certificates of acceptance from the Tagbilaran LGU, de la Cruz told The Bohol Tribune in a telephone interview.

Moreover, the port police chief said that if the personnel are not able to secure certificates of acceptance within Monday, he will be forced to send the personnel back to Cebu.

In a text message, PPA Bohol port manager James Gantalao said his office will take appropriate actions if there are protocol violations committed by the said personnel.