2 held for presenting fake RT-PCR tests

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines —  Two women are being held in an isolation facility in Negros Occidental for presenting fake negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests upon arrival from Manila on Thursday.

Provincial Incident Management Team head Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian said the COVID test results were found fake when these were scanned.

Caelian said he referred the case to the provincial legal office for the filing of charges against the two women, who also tested positive for COVID-19.

Inbound travelers from areas under Alert Level 3 are required to present a negative RT-PCR test result 72 hours prior to their arrival in Negros Occidental.

Travelers can also avail themselves of free RT-PCR testing upon arrival at the Bacolod-Silay Airport.