Police told to watch out for fake vaccination cards
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has tasked police offices and units to be wary of individuals who might take advantage of the eased rules allowing interzonal travel for fully-vaccinated persons.
This comes after presidential spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque said individuals who wish to embark on interzonal travel could present their vaccination cards, showing that they are fully inoculated, in place of actual COVID-19 test results.
"We will coordinate and work closely with the LGUs in enforcing this latest guideline. I am directing all police offices and units to be vigilant against those travelers who might use fake documents to prove that they are fully vaccinated," Eleazar said.
For interzonal travel, the government's coronavirus task force said that a COVID-19 domestic vaccination card or a certificate of quarantine completion would count as alternatives to testing that local governments can require.
The latest IATF resolution states that a person is considered fully vaccinated only if it has already been two weeks or more since they received the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks since receiving a single shot of the vaccine.
Per the coronavirus task force's end-June figures, some 7.53 million have completed their two doses of coronavirus vaccines.
“If the result of the RT-PCR test is falsified, it is not far off that malicious people will also use fake vaccination documents. We must not let this happen,” the PNP chief added in Filipino.
READ: Vaccination cards in lieu of testing OK’d for travel
Vaccine schedule fixers
No instances of fake vaccination cards being used by travelers have yet been reported as of this post, though false RT-PCR results were reported earlier in the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier, though, the PNP directed its Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to look into allegations that "fixers" in the Pasig City local government were making money off vaccine schedule setups.
Asked if any fixers were reported outside of Pasig City, Eleazar at a press briefing said there were none so far but highlighted anyone caught would face charges.
"Our CIDG is being assisted by the Anti-Cybercrime Group and is still monitoring...if we get any information and we can develop this into evidence, we will conduct the necessary investigation and file the appropriate charges," he said.
READ: CIDG ordered: Investigate vaccine schedule 'fixers'
— with reports from Christian Deiparine
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