San Juan mayor claims police escort decided to ignore health protoccols

June 7, 2020

BAGUIO CITY-- San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora said he was asleep in his vehicle when his police escort leading a convoy of six vehicles decided on his own “to ignore what has long been a standard border protection measure prescribed not only in his but our own city.”

This happened on Friday when Zamora and his convoy headed to Baguio, allegedly ignoring the protocools and headed to the Baguio Country Club.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the San Juan policeman “has committed a serious breach of standing quarantine protocols,” thus prompting Magalong to lodge complaints to the PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Police General Camilo Cascolan, the San Juan City Police City Director Jimmy Santos, and even the Baguio City police “to call their collective attention on this incident that put Baguio at serious health risk by the simple act of ignoring health and safety protocols.”

The incident prompted the reiteration of strict cross-border checkpoints and initial triage checks in the city.

Magalong said Zamora arrived at the Kennon Road quarantine checkpoint at around 2:30 pm of June June 5 on board a convoy of six vehicles, with uniformed personnel inside.

When his group was flagged down for inspection, the driver of the lead vehicle just slowed down, and told the checkpoint personnel that he was part of a convoy, pointing out the vehicles tailing his police car.

Checkpoint personnel radioed the Baguio City Police traffic operations center and followed the Zamora convoy to Baguio Country Club and was asked for the required medical health clearance.

The entourage were told to undergo triage examination at the Baguio Country Club.

Magalong vowed appropriate steps by concerned officials are forthcoming for this breach of health quarantine protocols. DMS