3 BJMP staff in hot water for violating ECQ protocol

CEBU, Philippines —  Three personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology are under fire for crossing the border to the province only to buy supplies readily available in Cebu City.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia called out the BJMP personnel 2 jail officers and one cook for possibly unnecessarily exposing residents of Sogod to the COVID-19 virus.

The personnel crossed the border to the province in order to purchase 220 trays of egg and an entire slaughtered pig from Barangay Poblacion in Sogod.

She pointed out that the goods are available in Cebu City but the three BJMP personnel purposely crossed the border because the store where the goods were brought from was allegedly owned by the father of one of them.

"Apparently, bisag dia sila sa Cebu City nga pwede makapalit, adto gyud sa Sogod kay… ang tindahan didto ang tag-iya ang amahan sa usa niini nila ka personnel. So, nipugos gyud ug adto," Garcia said.

The governor also said the three personnel aboard a BJMP vehicle reportedly drove past checkpoints in the municipality despite signals from the assigned policemen to stop for inspection.

The chief of police in Sogod town reported the incident to the Cebu Provincial Police Office. Garcia has directed the CPPO to conduct proper investigation into the incident. The governor likewise asked the BJMP to submit a full report on the incident.

In her online presser, Garcia pointed out that government employees are not exempt from the safety protocols laid down by the Capitol as a preventive measure against COVID-19.

"Di man na mahimo nga just because you belong to an agency of government, nga dili mo mosunod sa rules kay we are still under enhanced community quarantine," she said.

Workers manning the store during the transaction and residents in nearby areas have tagged as persons under monitoring (PUMs) from being exposed to the three personnel from Cebu City. They have been put under the standard 14-day quarantine.

With this, Garcia stressed that the violation has "added more burden" on the shoulders of the Sogod Municipal Government.

"Nagpuno-puno lang ni sa gipas-an ron sa lungsod sa Sogod, sa mga PUMs. Tungod lang kay unnecessarily gi-expose sila aning tulo kabuok nga wala gani morespeto sa atong PNP checkpoints," she said.  FPL (FREEMAN)