2 El Nido tourists from NCR caught with fake swab test results

MANILA, Philippines — Two female tourists from Metro Manila were nabbed after presenting fake swab test results upon arrival in El Nido in Palawan, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reported.

The two falsified the dates of collection of their swab specimens after the clinic that performed the test verified the results by scanning the QR code, the DOT noted.

Carrying the falsified documents, they were held by municipal health officers of El Nido upon entrance at the Lio Airport.

They were later brought to the Chelles Hotel to undergo seven-day quarantine, the agency added.

The El Nido municipal police will charge the two with violation of Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, particularly tampering medical records.

The DOT in late November last year gave the green light for El Nido, which has been recognized as having one of the world’s best beaches, to reopen for local tourists. The local tourism office currently requires travelers to present negative swab test results and confirmed bookings at accredited establishments.

Previously, the DOT reported that it sued six tourists from Manila for faking their swab test results after arriving in Boracay. Three of them were later found positive for COVID-19.