Sulu eyes lockdown, halt repatriation of Filipinos from Sabah over new COVID variant

Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — The province of Sulu is considering imposing a “lockdown” to prevent the entry of the new COVID-19 variant after reports that it has been detected in Sabah, Governor Abdusakur Tan said Tuesday.

“Anytime, pagkatapos ng meeting namin with the security sector at ating members ng Task Force COVID-19 Sulu ay baka mag-lockdown kami para hindi makapasok, sinisiguro natin, na hindi makapasok ang COVID,” Tan said in a televised briefing.

(Anytime after our meeting with the security sector and members of the Task Force COVID-19 Sulu, we might impose a lockdown so that the new COVID variant will not enter.)

“Kasi tingin ng tao rito, taga-Sabah sila at ang Sabah taga-rito din kaya’t labas pasok sila,” he added.

(People here think they are from Sabah and those from Sabah think that they’re from here that’s why they repeatedly enter and exit the province.)

Tan said they prefer to impose this preventive measure since their province lacks health facilities.

“Ngayon humihingi kami kay Presidente [Duterte] kung puwede pakiusapan ang Sabah o kaya ‘yung Kuala Lumpur na i-suspend muna ang pagpapauwi ng mga undocumented Filipinos from Sabah,” Tan said.

(We’re also requesting President Duterte if he can ask Sabah or Kuala Lumpur to suspend the repatriation of undocumented Filipinos from Sabah.)

Over the weekend, Duterte said Sulu province had asked the national government for assistance over the threat of the new COVID-19 variant detected in Sabah.

The President noted that Sabah is less than 29 hours by boat from the Sulu archipelago.

JPV