‘TIT FOR TAT’: Mayor dismayed by Capiz’s border controls

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas expressed disappointment with the Capiz provincial government for imposing border restrictions on persons and cargoes bound for the said province.
According to Treñas, border restrictions are not included in the rules and guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Treñas warned that he will file a formal complaint against the provincial government of Capiz if the border restrictions will not be lifted.

“We are totally disappointed sa Capiz. I told the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) that if the border restrictions nga ginbutang nila sa mga cargo coming from Iloilo to Capiz will not be taken out, we are going to file a formal criminal complaint for putting up that restriction. That is not provided under all IATF rules,” he said in a press conference on Monday.

Treñas reacted to the border restrictions ordered by the Capiz provincial government following the start of the much stricter General Community Quarantine (GCQ) in Iloilo City.

Capiz Governor Esteban Evan Contreras ordered border restrictions for all residents and cargoes from Iloilo City entering the province.

Under the border restrictions, all residents from Iloilo City bound for Capiz will be treated as locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and will be required to present valid IDs, letter of acceptance, travel authority and medical clearance certificate.

Meanwhile, all public transport vehicles that shall cross provincial borders regardless of capacity, shall be required to submit and surrender a passenger manifest to the border checkpoints.

Treñas said Capiz’s requirements may violate rules on the unhampered flow of goods.

“If they do that to us, we will do it to them, too. Some people don’t take time to think of the consequences of their actions,” he said.

In radio interviews, Contreras said that they are imposing border restrictions as a safety measure to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

He reiterated the decision of the national task force for COVID-19 to revert Iloilo City to the general community quarantine (GCQ) status while Capiz and the rest of Western Visayas are still in the more permissive Modified GCQ.

Meanwhile, the provinces of Antique and Iloilo both signified that they will not impose additional border restrictions for travelers from Iloilo City despite its stricter quarantine status. (ERS)