Woman facing charges for reproducing quarantine pass

Suspect says she was making copies just in case one gets lost

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A woman who was caught reproducing her Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) pass is now facing charges for violating Article 172 of the revised penal code in relation to Cebu City executive order 65, which is the unauthorized reproduction of the ECQ pass and falsification of documents.

38-year-old Maria Rowena Sarsalejo of Barangay Santo Niño was arrested by the Waterfront police station on Monday, March 30, 2020, after she was found in possession of four copies of the ECQ pass.

Police Executive Master Sergent Michael Ventulan of the Waterfront police said they will be filing the case against Sarsalejo on Tuesday morning, March 31.

Sarsalejo was arrested around 5:30 p.m. on Monday inside the Cebu City Hall after a security guard heard her say “maayo ning daghan.” (It is better to have more of this.)

Read: A Cebu City resident’s guide to getting a green quarantine pass

The Cebu City government required the need for a quarantine pass system to limit the movement of the people once the enhanced community quarantine began on March 28, 2020. This was done as part of the government’s fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

Read: Quarantine passes to limit movement in barangays

Sarsalejo’s move raised suspicion that she was going to sell these passes. But she clarified that she had no plans of doing so, saying she only wanted to make more copies in case one gets lost or gets wet.

“Dili nako ni ibaligya kay ako man ning control number. Ang ako ani, aron unta ug mawagtang ang usa, naay ikapuli,” she said.

(I was not planning to sell this since this control number belongs to me. I only had this copied so that in case I lose one, I still have another copy.)

A vegetable vendor along F. Gonzales Street, Sasalejo said she could only plead and ask for forgiveness as her actions were not meant to cause any harm. /bmjo