Traveler from the US who posted massage session on IG and skipped mandatory quarantine arrested—Puyat
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is on the case of yet another traveler from the United States who reportedly skipped the mandated quarantine upon arrival, and instead got a massage.
According to DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, the violator even seemed to be “proud” that she skipped quarantine after her trip, posting some Instagram stories of her condominium, where she also got a massage.
“She just said she checked in this hotel, but it showed that she never even checked in a hotel. Dumeretso siya sa condo niya,” Puyat said in a Jan. 3 interview on CNN Philippines’ The Source, adding that the traveler herself has admitted that she skirted quarantine.
"I don’t know bakit sila nagyayabang na nagskip sila ng quarantine. Generation?" Puyat added.
Puyat said that the violator has already been apprehended.
“I’ve given it already to the BOQ (Bureau of Quarantine) and the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government), and I will leave it up to them,” she continued.
The report comes after the viral case involving “Poblacion Girl” Gwyneth Chua, who reportedly broke quarantine rules to party in Makati just a few days before she tested positive for COVID-19. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said they will also file a case against Chua, who may have infected about 15 people.
In a Jan. 3 press briefing, DILG spokesperson Usec. Jonathan Malaya said that Año has given a directive to the Philippine National Police to conduct random visits to different quarantine hotels in the country to ensure that returning travelers are indeed following protocol.
The Philippines has seen a rise in daily COVID-19 cases. On Sunday, Jan. 2, the Department of Health recorded 4,600 new infections, bringing its total to 2,851,931—with 21,418 active cases, 2,778,943 recoveries, and 51,570 deaths.
