Swab test dodgers face jail time – DILG
Individuals with symptoms or in close contact with COVID-positive patients who refused to be tested for the virus risk themselves of imprisonment or other appropriate penalties, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said those who will dodge swab tests may be meted a fine of P20,000 to P50,000 or imprisonment of up to six months.
“Pwede silang kasuhan dahil ilalagay niya sa panganib ang ibang tao kung siya ay infected (They can be charged since they put
the lives of many people at risk if he is infected),” Año said.
The DILG chief explained that symptomatic individuals or those exposed to people with COVID-19 are required to be tested under the Republic Act 11332, the “Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases.”
Even with free RT-PCR tests in some localities, some people still refused to be tested as they fear this may reveal that they are positive for the virus, sending them to an isolation facility for two weeks.
“Hindi lang naman pagkain ang pagkakagastusan namin. Dalawang linggo na quarantine, paano ang ibang gastusin gaya ng gatas ng baby ko, pambili ng gamot, pang maintenance (medicine)? Hindi kaya tustusan ng gobyerno 'yon,” said an employee of an appliance firm who requested anonymity in an interview.
The employee complained that being in a “no work, no pay” status has an adverse effect on the workers’ earnings and it would be an additional burden for them if they test positive for the virus and placed in quarantine.
“Ang ayuda ngayon walang cash. Katwiran ng national government nagbigay na sila nung ECQ [Enhanced Community Quarantine]. Ako hindi nabigyan ng ayuda, may trabaho ako kahit minimum (wage) lang ang sahod ko (The aid now does not include cash, with the national government saying that they already gave financial assistance during the ECQ period. I was not given cash aid since I am a minimum wage earner),” the employee shared.
Meanwhile, Año admitted being aware of the concerns of the daily wage earners but insisted that being a COVID-19 carrier that can infect their family members is a far worse predicament.