Chief of presidential security negative for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 2:58 p.m.) — President Rodrigo Duterte's top security aide has tested negative for the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Presidential Security Group announced last Saturday.

Col. Jesus Durante III, PSG commander, underwent testing together with Duterte and Sen. Christopher Go in Malacañang Complex last March 12.

"The Group Commander of Presidential Security Group Col. Jesus P. Durante III who underwent COVID-19 testing along with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence Go last 12 March 2020, tested negative based on the result released by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine," PSG said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

"The test was also one of the measures to ensure that the good health condition of the president is safeguarded at all times, especially that Col. Durante is (President Duterte's) head of security," it added.

Duterte and Go have also tested negative for the disease, Go earlier announced. They underwent tests after they were exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19 during a road project inspection in Caloocan last March 5. 

Some Cabinet members also went on self-quarantine as a precautionary measure against the disease.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar have also tested negative for COVID-19, their departments announced Sunday.

"We are glad to know that the two (Durante and Tugade) are healthy and were tested negative for COVID-19. They will continue to perform their respective duties in the service of the Filipino people," presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a text message before the Department of Public Works and Highways announced Villar's test result.

 Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, also announced Sunday that his COVID-19 test result was negative. 

"It's negative," Medialdea said in a text message.

"(I) have to pursue self-quarantine" he added