2 siblings jailed for returning home to Inabanga, Bohol despite travel restrictions

Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Inabanga

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Policemen in Bohol province arrested two Inabanga town natives who returned home from Barangay Labangon in Cebu City despite travel restrictions.

The arrested individuals were identified as siblings Maria Jonalie Bautista, 33, and John Virgil Nioda, 30, who are from  Barangay Fatima in Inabanga town.

In an advisory posted on its official Facebook page this morning, May 3, 2020, the municipality of Inabanga said that police already filed complaints for the violation of Republic Act 1132 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act and disobedience which is in violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code against the two.

They were found to have left their rented place in Barangay Labangon in Cebu City where more than a hundred cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have already been recorded.

Police said that the two hired a pump boat from Cordova town in Cebu province to get to Inabanga town.

Information on their arrival reached the attention of the police at around noontime on Saturday, May 2.

During their investigation, police and members of the Inabanga Incident Management Team found that the two arrived in Barangay Fatima at 11:30 p.m. on Friday, May 1, yet.

“Pag-abot sa duha ka suspetsado, nideretso kini sila sa panimalay sa ilahang inahan nga usa ka Barangay Kagawad sa nahisgutang barangay,” said the town’s advisory.

(Upon their arrival, the two immediately proceeded to the residence of their mother who is a Barangay Councilor in the said barangay.)

In compliance with COVID-19 protocols, the two were immediately brought to the Barangay Isolation Center while their home was disinfected.

Their home was also placed under lockdown while their mother and other members of the family, including an infant and a senior citizen, were placed under home quarantine, the town’s advisory said.