30 STALL OWNERS AND VENDORS BUSTED FOR FAKING RAPID TEST RESULT IN LANGIHAN PUBLIC MARKET

BUTUAN CITY – More or less 30 stall owners and vendors in Salvador Calo Supermarket, Langihan in Butuan City, were caught faking negative results of the rapid test to get back in business.

In retrospect, the government required all stall owners and vendors to submit a negative result of the rapid test if they wish to start selling again in the public market after it was placed on lockdown on August 26, for disinfection.

However, since not everyone benefited from the free rapid test at the city hall, some of them were tested in other laboratories and diagnostic centers.

According to Atty. Moshie Ariel Cahoy, Officer-in-charge in Butuan LGU Business Permit and Licensing Division, the anomaly came to their attention when only a few individuals availed the free rapid test that led to investigation with the help of Atty. Pizzaro in the Office of the City Economic Enterprise.

“Subo nga among nahibaloan nga niingun gyud ang pipila nga naay dili gyud gi-issue. Nag-issue ug certification ang mga diagnostic center ug atong laboratory nga ga-conduct ug rapid test nga dili to sa ilaha gikan,” said Atty. Cahoy.

(We are sad to know that some results were fake. The diagnostic centers and laboratories conducting rapid test issued a certification that the said negative results were not from them.)

Atty. Cahoy further said the counterfeit results might come from the three individuals who were nabbed in Barangay Sikatuna on September 9, Wednesday, for selling fake negative rapid test results.

Because of this, the involved vendors are prohibited from running their business, and they will undergo rapid testing again.

They might also be facing three charges: first, a civil case for the damages to the registered diagnostics centers and laboratories. Second, a criminal case for falsification or for using medical record, and lastly, an administrative case which might end up to revoking and cancellation of their permit and license.

Several involved stall owners and vendors are already charged, and there are future cases to be directly filed by the laboratories and diagnostic centers.

The official also believes there are still other individuals in the city who are producing falsified rapid tests, and some might be doing it from inside their houses by printing certification.

LGU – BPLD, together with the OCEE, PNP, and NBI, continuously monitoring persons involved in the illegal activity of faking negative rapid test results.