At his regular televised weekly briefing on Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte said that people traveling with fake RT-PCR test results should be held and charged accordingly.

This was in response to reports that travelers have been caught with the falsified requirements in several parts of the country. In Boracay, four travelers were apprehended this week, in addition to seven the week before.

“Kindly check this twice over whether or not you have the genuine certificates,” Duterte said. “Arrest those presenting fake tests and enforce strict compliance of protocols of local tourism.”

__________

Also read: Fully vaccinated seniors now allowed to roam in GCQ and MGCQ areas

__________

During the same briefing, Duterte also declared that he supported the organizers of community pantries, while also cautioning them to follow safety protocols “to ensure that these activities would not go out of control and become superspreader events,” he said.

“Wala namang question itong pantry scheme. As a matter of fact, I salute the people behind this and those who originated it. Ang nagkulang sila and maybe they are ignorant of the prohibition imposed by law, not by me,” Duterte said.

__________

Also read: Community pantry organizers urged to find safer way to give food to elderly Pinoys

__________

“Saludo ako at maganda ang konsensya ninyo sa tao ninyo, but please read the restrictions first,” he said. “See to it that the regulations are complied with.”

The NCR Plus area will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) until the end of the month, “with heightened restrictions” for Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite.