MANILA—The COVID-19 response of Tuguegarao City has been politicized, as local officials insisted on allowing home quarantine for virus patients, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba alleged Thursday.

Of the province's 1,766 COVID-19 cases, some 1,004 — or 57 percent — is in Tuguegarao, according to Mamba. About 608 — 60 percent of the city's cases — are in home quarantine, Mamba said.

• 'Di mapigilan na social gatherings': Tuguegarao starts 10-day ECQ as COVID cases rise

"The city itself is causing us a lot of problems. Matigas po ang ulo nila doon lalo na ang health officials nila and even the mayor," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(They're hardheaded, especially their health officials. Even the mayor.)

"Na-politicize na po ito. Yung mga kalaban nila, lalo na papunta na tayo sa eleksyon, binabanatan ang mismanagement. The mayor, including that health city office, ini-insist nila ng position ni mayor na mali dahil binabanatan."

(This has become politicized. Their opposition, now that we're heading towards elections, are hitting their mismanagement. The mayor, including that health city office, they insist on the mayor's position even though it's wrong because they're being criticized.)

Mamba said he has advised the city against putting virus patients under home quarantine.

"Binabanatan ko na nga rin ang regional IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19) dito dahil kung ano ang sabihin ni mayor, yun nga (ang sinusunod)," he said.

(I've also been criticizing the regional IATF because they follow whatever the mayor says.)

"Lately nag-ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) sila because ang cases sa Tuguegarao is 600. After 14 days na ECQ, yung 600 naging 900 eh binabaan pa ng MECQ (modified ECQ). Pumayag naman ang IATF."

(Lately they were placed under ECQ because the active cases reached 600. After 14 days of ECQ, it became 900, but they still eased restrictions to MECQ, which the IATF approved.)

The Philippines on Wednesday logged 8,122 more COVID-19 cases, bringing its total number of infections to 892,880. It is forecast to reach 1 million virus cases by the end of the month, OCTA Research earlier said.

• Philippines' total COVID-19 cases may reach 1 million by end-April: OCTA

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