AdvocatesTV • June 17, 2020
BFP officer, personnel relieved over unauthorized party in Boracay; one attendee found COVID positive
Photo Credit: Bureau of Fire Protection Facebook Page
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) regional director and all personnel involved in an unauthorized party held at a hotel in Boracay were relieved from their posts after it was found that one of them was COVID-19 positive.
Año said that administrative cases will also be filed against the BFP personnel.
“Nadismaya ako. Unang-una, dapat nga ay tayo ang ehemplo ng pagpapatupad ng kahit na ano gawin mo, kahit personal, kahit na walang nakakakita ay susunod ka sa lahat ng health standards at protocols,” he said.
(I am dismayed because we should have been examples in following health protocols and standards even if no one is watching. )
Año said those BFP personnel also endangered the lives of the hotel employees because of their irresponsible actions.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the 24 BFP employees held the “despedida” party in Boracay from June 12 to 14. They arrived after a June 11-12 meeting of Cabinet secretaries of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), DILG and DOT also held in the island.
Puyat said the employee in question told authorities that she was in Boracay to attend a conference making it seem that she was part of the meeting of the Cabinet officials.
The said BFP employee had been waiting for the results of a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test conducted on June 9 while at the Boracay party. She was informed of the positive result on the day she left the island.
“The BFP personnel allegedly went on unofficial business and violated quarantine protocols of both the Municipality of Malay and Municipality of Kalibo (the personnel’s place of origin),” the Malay local government said. Malay officials meanwhile started tracing for people who had close contact with the BFP employee.
Local authorities and the DOT are also preparing charges against the establishments that helped the BFP employees get on the island. They will also try to get the operating license of the hotel revoked.
Puyat said Boracay Island was still closed to tourists when the incident took place.
