The two siblings who were caught illegally entering the province from Cebu amid the travel ban have been tested for coronavirus disease 19 infection as both were noted to have come from a village deemed a COVID-19 “hotspot.”

Dr. Yul Lopez, the Capitol’s spokesperson on COVID-19-related issues, ordered on Monday the swabbing of Maria Bautista, 33, and brother John Niodoa, 30, both natives of Barangay Fatima, Inabanga who were temporarily staying in Barangay Labangon in Cebu City.

“Gi-PCR [polymerase chain reaction] nato ng duha ka nadakpan considering that Labangon Cebu is a hotspot,” he said.

As of last week, there were at least 54 COVID-19 cases recorded in Labangon.

Inabanga Municipal Health Officer Dr. Edar Ajo confirmed that swab samples were taken from the siblings who are now isolated at a daycare center in Barangay Fatima, Inabanga which has been turned into an isolation facility.  

Niodoa and Bautista were asymptomatic, Ajo said.

According to Captain Fermin Donque, chief of the Inabanga Police Station, the siblings will undergo a 14-day quarantine and are set to be charged for violating the no-sail policy.

“Dili pa mo-dawat ang judge basta di pa mo undergo 14-day quarantine…regular filing ni,” he said.

Niodoa and Bautista sneaked into the province through Inabanga. They arrived at 11 p.m. on May 1 on board a pumpboat from Cordova, Cebu.

They were caught by residents in the area who in turn alerted the police. (A. Doydora)