Mayor warns against fake quarantine passes

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued a stern warning during the weekend against fake Home Quarantine Passes (HQP) as the implementation of the HQP system and check-up points in the city started Sunday.

The HQP and check-points policies mandated by Executive Order No. 58-A, Series of 2020 aims to curb the spread of COVID-19 by limiting the movement of the public in the city.

The mayor said he ordered the enforcement of the HQP system and check-up points by virtue of a Sangguniang Panlungsod ordinance granting him emergency authority in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I have instructed PNP City director P/Col. Henry Binas to investigate the reports that some people are trying means to print HQPs outside of our authorized printer. Let this be a warning to those concerned including printing presses that such offense will be dealt with accordingly by our authorities,” he added.

Leonardia said the SP’s emergency authority ordinance authorizes him to impose short term measures to augment minimum health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Under the HQP system leisure trips will not be allowed into the city.

HQP will be allowed only on prescribed days and HQP holders should stay home on Sundays (September 6 and 13).

He emphasized that the HQPs and checkup points will regulate the movement of people within Bacolod and the entry and exit of out-of-towners as a means of stemming the local spread of COVID-19.

Earlier, Liga ng mga Barangay president Councilor Gles Pallen appealed to Leonardia to defer the implementation of the HQP system originally scheduled last September 3, 2020.

Pallen said they have not anticipated that in the middle of the distribution of HQPs “to our surprise we were asked to attend to the pay-out of SAP (Social Amelioration Program) grants of our constituents.”

Bacolod City has reverted to the General Community Quarantine on Sept 1, 2020 from the more relaxed Modified General Community Quarantine due to upsurge in COVID-19 cases.