City exec apologizes for breaking protocols

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The head of the Iloilo City Hall team that monitors compliance with public health standards apologized on Wednesday after dining at a restaurant amid the strict public health measures imposed due to a surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

Compliance Team chief Fernando Jose “Boyet” Rico was in hot water on Tuesday when he had lunch with his staff after undergoing RT-PCR testing, based on a now-deleted Facebook post.

In a recorded interview Wednesday, Rico told Aksyon Radyo Iloilo that they finished the specimen extraction at around 1:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Freedom Grandstand.

Section 2 of Executive Order (EO) No. 43, issued by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas on May 23, 2021 states that employees of the Iloilo City Hall who underwent COVID-19 testing must observe strict isolation or quarantine while awaiting the result.

EO No. 43 also effectively closed the Iloilo City Hall indefinitely because of a significant number of COVID-19 cases there.

Before Wednesday, dining at restaurants was still allowed at 20 percent capacity, provided that food establishments followed regulations, including installation of plastic barriers, which was absent based on the deleted Facebook post.

Right after posting the lunch, Rico received criticisms on social media for violating protocols in the EO which his team was supposed to enforce.

Apart from being the Executive Assistant for Barangay Affairs of Treñas, he is also the head of the city government team overseeing compliance with minimum public health standards amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including regulations under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).

Rico is also tipped to be running for an elective post in the 2022 elections, with his streamers displayed in public places all over the city.

Rico apologized for his action, explaining that he had diabetes and was experiencing hypoglycemia or lowered blood sugar levels. So, he and his staff went to a restaurant to have some soft drinks, and eventually lunch.

He said the hypoglycemia set in when he waited until Tuesday afternoon to be tested as he gave way to other departments of the city government.

“I admit that I made a mistake, I was wrong but that’s because I’m human. I know there is protocol but I already needed to eat, otherwise I would faint and would then need hospitalization. I am asking for an apology. (sic) For me, I really made a mistake, but I was hungry, and I was hypoglycemic,” Rico said.

He added that Treñas had reprimanded him after the public backlash.