The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced that its Aviation Security Group has arrested 15 individuals with fake coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) confirmatory test results. 

The PNP said in a statement that those arrested were traveling from Manila to Davao and Zamboanga

The arrested will face charges for falsification of public documents and violation of the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.

They will also pay a fine of up to P50,000 and imprisonment of at least a month but not more than six months for tampering the Covid-19 test results. 

Under the law, “tampering of records relating to notifiable diseases or health events of public health concern, which includes official medical test results or medical certificates, or such other documents and records issued by public health authorities is punishable by law.”

PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas warned the public that they will face possible sanctions for faking their RT-PCR tests and other health documents.

“Let me reiterate to the public that using fake laboratory results poses a danger to everyone,” the PNP statement quoted Sinas as saying.

“Our frontliners are risking their lives to save yours, a little bit of concern and cooperation is what we need to fight this unseen enemy”, he added. Ronald dela Cruz