Metro Manila judges tested for COVID-19, unsettles some seniors

MANILA, Philippines – A number of reluctant lower court judges, especially the more senior ones who feared that they would test positive, were eventually convinced by the  Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) to take the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said on Thursday.

“Alam mo ang rason nila? Takot malaman baka may sakit. Ganon ata attitude ng mga tumatanda medyo a little bit stubborn,” Peralta told reporters.

[Do you know why they do not want to take the rapid test? They are afraid of learning that they are probably sick. I think that is the attitude of some elders, a little bit stubborn.]

The Supreme Court, in coordination with the Philippine Red Cross, conducted the rapid test at its premises in Padre Faura, Taft Avenue in Manila.

“I told the Court Administrator that we have to do something and explain to them that this is for them and their employees,” Peralta said.

Eventually, the judges agreed to undergo rapid tests.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said judges from the National Capital Region underwent rapid testing.

“The Judges went to the Supreme Court to have themselves rapid tested,” Marquez said, adding that for now, the focus is on NCR judges because the region is the epicenter of COVID-19 in the country.

Peralta said only two or three of the Supreme Court employees have tested positive in the rapid test but they turned out negative after the confirmatory tests.

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