Virus-infected fireman in W. Visayas spotted in Boracay; fire chief ordered relieved

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año ordered the relief of Fire Senior Superintendent Roderick Aguto, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) regional director in Western Visayas, for command responsibility after one of his fire personnel breached quarantine protocols.

In a statement on Wednesday, Año said Aguto’s fire personnel, whose name was not mentioned, roamed in Boracay Island while waiting for a swab test result, which turned out positive for novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Año also warned law enforcers that the agency will not tolerate violations of BFP personnel and other DILG officials, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Panahon ng pandemya ngayon at hindi pwede ang mga palusot. (We are in a pandemic and we can’t make excuses.) Moreover, as law enforcers, we must set a good example to our people and the breach of quarantine protocols sets a very bad example,” he said.

Año ordered BFP Chief Jose Embang to investigate the accused BFP official and submit its report to the DILG.

He also appointed Fire Senior Superintendent Jerry Candido, director for Logistics of BFP-National Headquarters, as officer-in-charge of BFP-Region 6 to replace Aguto.

Meanwhile, Interior Undersecretary and Spokesman Jonathan Malaya said a special investigation task group of the BFP National Headquarters would conduct contact tracing of the infected BFP personnel and her 27 co-workers.

Malaya added that the infected BFP personnel would also face investigation.

Malaya added that the BFP-6 Regional Office, provincial offices and fire stations were on lockdown to conduct disinfection.

Malaya said 28 out of 196 BFP-6 personnel were infected with the coronavirus disease after undertaking rapid testing. The 28 were placed under quarantine and would undergo swab testing.