Roque ‘shocked’ on learning he tested positive for coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who has been going around the country and joining the President in his events, has tested positive for the new coronavirus and will go into isolation while continuing his duties.

Roque underwent a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test on Sunday in preparation for a meeting with the President on Monday evening.

Roque got the results on Monday when he was already in his office in Malacañang.

“I’m very shocked and surprised that I suddenly tested positive,” he told a press briefing from his office through videoconference.

Asked why he had not isolated himself after getting tested as the rules required, he said it had been routine for him to get two to three RT-PCR tests a week, and he usually gets one on Sunday for the Monday meeting with the President.

He also said he did not have much exposure after getting tested because he had been alone in his office reading briefing papers.

He was hardly in contact with anyone from his office, he added.

Roque last joined President Duterte during a visit to Dumaguete on March 11 and he tested negative for the virus the previous day, he said.

He does not think Mr. Duterte has to go into isolation, he said, pointing out that he had no close contact with the President during the events in Dumaguete.

He considers close contact to mean being near enough to the President to whisper in his ear, he said.

Though they were together on stage, he was wearing a face shield and mask and did not get near enough to the President to whisper to him, he said.

After Dumaguete, Roque visited Ilocos Norte on March 12 to witness the vaccination drive in the province.

He noted that he had been visiting hospitals in previous days for the launch of the vaccination drive.