MANILA – The local government of Borongan is hoping to file charges next week against a police official who bypassed a checkpoint meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Yesterday I was briefed by the legal office ng siyudad. Matatapos na sila sa pag-consolidate ng mga affidavit ng mga witnesses, hoping by next week we can file the cases in court,” said Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda.

(I was briefed by the city’s legal office yesterday. They are about to finish consolidating the affidavit of witnesses, hoping by next week we can file the cases in court.)

• Police ‘VIP’ skipped Borongan coronavirus checkpoint: mayor

Lt. Col. Joel Ana, a resident of the city and assigned at the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) headquarters, was onboard a white van accompanied by 2 police motorcycles when he “bypassed” border control on the night of June 13.

“It is an insult to our efforts kapag may ganung mga pangyayari lalo na if you are a public official,” said Agda, in an interview on Teleradyo’s Kabayan program.

(It is an insult to our efforts when things like that happen especially if you are a public official.)

The mayor said the city remains virus-free, giving credit to their strict implementation of border control.

The police official has yet to reach out to him, the mayor said.

Meanwhile, the mayor said they continue to welcome returning stranded residents and overseas Filipino workers as long as they are willing to be quarantined.

“Yun lang paraan namin para ‘di mag spread ang virus kung sakaling dala nila yung virus. So far ,natutugunan naman po yun, nasusunod naman po yun,” he said.

(That’s the only way to prevent the spread of the virus in case they are carriers of the virus. So far, that is being implemented and followed.)