Roque gets exposed to Covid-infected staff in Manila after Boracay trip

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. File photo from PTV video

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday made it clear that he was exposed to a staff who got Covid-19 in Manila after arriving from his Boracay trip over the weekend.

“Was exposed after Boracay trip, Sunday afternoon,” Roque told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

During his regular press briefing, Roque explained he found out his staff was positive for coronavirus after they both underwent testing in Manila when the latter fetched him at the airport.

Roque also stressed that he is  “100 percent compliant” with rules whenever he goes out.

“I’m always 100 percent in compliance with all the rules. Nagkaroon po ako ng pagpupulong in Iloilo and it was a side trip. Dahil ang sinasabi ko sa inyo, I always have a reason to go out but I always take advantage po of where I am,” Roque said.

(I’m always 100 percent in compliance with all the rules. I had a meeting in Iloilo and it was a side trip. Like what I tell you,  I always have a reason to go out but I always take advantage of where I am.)

“But I never violate the rules. So sa mga kritiko ko po, pasensiya na po, lawyer, law professor, I’m 100 percent compliant with the rules,” he went on.

(But I never violate the rules. To my critics, I’m sorry, I’m a lawyer, law professor, I’m 100 percent compliant with the rules.)

DiveGurus Boracay, a scuba diving school, also assured that safety protocols were followed and that Roque was not with the Covid-positive aide during the diving trip.

ISOLATION? DUDE. HE WAS JUST DIVING HERE IN BORACAY YESTERDAY & WALKING BY THE BEACH.

I mean, do we still expect for Harry Roque to speak the truth about anything? pic.twitter.com/ijwhLakgj6

— Meryl Hilda 🌸 (@TitaMeryl) February 8, 2021

“Sec. Roque was alone when he came to the dive shop on Feb 6. None of Sec. Roque’s other staff members were present during his dive,” DiveGurus said Monday on its Facebook page.

“Following safety protocols, our equipment is dipped in disinfectant solution after every dive and each staff adheres to the Covid safety guidelines.”

“We were informed that he arrived in Manila on Feb 7th and had a negative RTPCR [reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction] result. The staff who was tested positive is based in Manila and did not join in [the] Boracay trip,” it added.

The diving school’s Facebook posts dated Feb. 7 showed Roque taking a dive at Friday’s Reef in Boracay island.

https://www.facebook.com/DiveGurusBoracay/posts/10158890222435867

https://www.facebook.com/DiveGurusBoracay/posts/10158890218525867

During his regular briefing on Monday, Roque said he was negative for the new coronavirus but opted to stay under isolation after one of his staff got Covid-19.

JPV