Closely inspect all incoming vehicles, Capitol urges PNP, LGUs

Traffic Situation at the boundary of Minglanilla and Talisay City. The line of vehicles trying to get through Minglanilla’s checkpoints have reached the end of Barangay Lawaan, Talisay City as of 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2020

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has directed police and local officials to closely inspect and require drivers and passengers of all vehicles trying to access parts of the province to present the necessary documents.

This after Garcia disclosed that she received reports of individuals, who are not part of Cebu’s list of exemptions on border restrictions, were allegedly being smuggled into the province.

Garcia said all drivers and passengers of vehicles passing through checkpoints must present their identification cards to determine if they were part of the list of individuals exempted from doing cross-border travels between Cebu City and the territorial jurisdiction of the province.

“Those persons not determined to be exempted shall be required to disembark the vehicle and shall be prohibited from crossing the checkpoint,” she added.

At a press conference on Saturday, April 18, 2020, Garcia also said several individuals produced fake Capitol-issued passes to bypass inspection.

She showed a printout of a forged Capitol pass reportedly being used to allow a business processing outsource (BPO) employee, working in Cebu City to enter Daanbantayan, a first-class municipality located more than 140 kilometers north of the province’s capital.

“I am warning all those who will be coming up with fake passes, I’ll have you tracked down by the police and formal cases will surely be filed against you,” said Garcia in Cebuano.

The governor reiterated that BPO workers are not part of the exemptions on Cebu’s border restrictions.

Transit Vehicle Passes

Garcia also announced that the Capitol would be revoking the validity of Transit Vehicle Passes which had indefinite periods.

“Only transit vehicle passes with a definite period issued by the province shall be valid,” said Garcia.

“For those who wish to acquire again, they will have to apply again wherein we will see if the need in issuing such pass has merits,” she added./dbs