Iloilo City exec resigns over COVID rules breach

VIRUS RAGE Iloilo City ramps up its vaccination drive amid a surge in COVID-19 infections and a shortage of hospital beds. —PHOTO COURTESY OF OFFICE OF ILOILO CITY MAYOR

ILOILO CITY — The head of Iloilo City’s COVID-19 protocol compliance team gave up his post after violating health protocols.

Fernando Jose “Boyet” Rico tendered his resignation on Thursday after receiving flak due to a now-deleted Facebook photo that he posted showing him having lunch at a restaurant with other team members after they underwent swab testing.

Health protocols mandate that those who underwent COVID-19 tests should undergo voluntary quarantine until a negative result is released.

“It’s my fault and I resigned to spare [Mayor Jerry Treñas] from being criticized and also the members of my team who have worked so hard during the pandemic,” Rico told the Inquirer in a telephone interview.

The city’s compliance team, which has 80 members, is responsible for ensuring that basic health protocols, including the wearing of face masks and practicing physical distancing, are observed by residents in villages, offices, and business establishments here.‘Lapse in judgment’

“Members of our team risked their safety and lives inspecting barangays to ensure the protocols are followed. So I decided to resign for that lapse in judgment,” Rico said.

He said he and several other members of the team completed their testing at 2 p.m. so they decided to eat in a restaurant.

“I was experiencing symptoms of hypoglycemia so we decided to have lunch at a restaurant before going home to undergo quarantine. That was a mistake,” said Rico, a diabetic.

Swab testing was part of the mandatory tests for city government employees after the City Hall was closed for a week due to rising COVID-19 cases among employees.

In a statement, Treñas said he accepted Rico’s resignation with “regrets” and thanked him for heading the compliance team for more than a year.

Rico will still remain as Treñas’ executive assistant for barangay affairs, a post he held before being appointed concurrent head of the compliance team.

Renewed surge

Iloilo City is battling a renewed surge of COVID-19 cases and was placed under the more restrictive modified enhanced community quarantine until May 31.

The city has also closed its borders from unessential incoming and outgoing travel to help stem the spread of the infection.

The city health office recorded 101 new cases on Wednesday, among the highest in a day.

“The numbers are alarming. The [COVID-19] team is working very hard to mitigate the situation. Let us all protect the community by staying home and following the safety protocols,” Treñas said in a statement.

He has also raised concern over the lack of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients and health personnel.

“I sent a message to [Health Secretary Franciso Duque III] to inform him that we are having problems in hospital rooms. There are patients who cannot be admitted. We also need nurses for the hospitals since many are already infected,” Treñas said.