3 caught in illegal COVID-19 test lab

MANILA, Philippines — Three persons were arrested for allegedly running an illegal COVID-19 testing laboratory in Manila, police said yesterday.

Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group raided Swab Express Medical Health Services in Sampaloc at around 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, according to CIDG director Maj Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro.

Dave Robles, 28; Chinky Robles, 26, and Alma Consuelo, 51 were arrested and are being held on charges of violating Republic Act 4688 or the  Clinical Laboratory Law.

Ferro said they received information the suspects were involved in the unauthorized administration of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests.

Verification with the Department of Health revealed Swab Express is not an authorized testing laboratory.

Policemen posing as customers who were swabbed at the laboratory arrested the suspects.

The suspects yielded 11 boxes of COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits from Sansure Biotech and Joinstar, two consent forms, an official receipt and two laptops.

Ferro said the suspects are said to be members of a group involved in illegal COVID-19 testing.