Ten who joined Japan trip with Benitez contract COVID-19

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Ten persons, including three local officials who joined Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez on a recent trip to Japan tested positive for COVID-19.

Former Councilor Atty. Caesar Distrito, legal counsel of Team Asenso made the confirmation in a statement last Thursday.

Atty. Distrito said that those found positive for the virus were Bacolod Congressman Greg Gasataya, and Councilors Simple Distrito and Jude Thaddeus Sayson.

The swab test results came out three days after Benitez, who went to Japan on official leave, announced last Monday that he tested positive for COVID-19 upon his arrival in Manila.

Others who joined the trip were Councilors Al Victor Espino, Vladimir Gonzalez, Jason Villarosa, Claudio Puentevella, Celia Flor, and Pao Sy, former Councilors Sonya Verdeflor, Bart Orola, former Negros Occidental Board Member Patrick Lacson, and 11 village chiefs here.

All of them immediately underwent swab tests and isolation upon arrival.

The seven others who tested positive for COVID-19 were not named.

Atty. Distrito, who also joined the trip, said that those who tested positive were in good condition and mostly asymptomatic, or with very mild symptoms.

They are all in isolation, he added.

He said that those who tested negative opted for voluntary isolation. In fact, all of them attended their regular session virtually, he added.

He assured that all of them were fully vaccinated and will comply with the protocol of 7-day isolation as they continue to work from home.