Computer shop raided for fake COVID-19 results

MANILA, Philippines — Police raided a computer shop in Caloocan City on Thursday for allegedly falsifying coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 test results.

Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) set up an entrapment at TJ Computer Shop on Bougainvilla street in Barangay 177 at around 5 p.m.

Angelica Dellola and Jeshiel Mohad,  owner and employee of the computer shop, respectively, were arrested after they falsified a document given by undercover police officers.

The suspects are facing charges of falsification  of public documents and violation of Republic act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.

Brig. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento, CIDG deputy director for administration, said the operation stemmed from a social media post on Facebook by a concerned citizen accusing the suspects of forging reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test results.

The witness said she saw the suspects editing a copy of a COVID-19 test result for another person.

Local government units (LGUs) are requiring locally stranded individuals to undergo swab testing for COVID-19 before they are allowed entry to their home provinces.

Philippine National Police deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said they will intensify their monitoring of other establishments that may be involved in a similar scheme.