COVID-19 positive person was at NLEX event led by Duterte —Tugade

A person who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was at the inspection of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Harbor Link C3-R10 section led by President Rodrigo Duterte last week, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade confirmed Thursday.

Tugade replied in the affirmative in a text message when asked to verify reports that a COVID-19 positive individual was at the NLEx event last March 5.

BREAKING: Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade confirms that the COVID-19 positive individual was at the NLEX Harbor Link inspection led by President Rodrigo Duterte last March 5, 2020. | via @Ted_Cordero pic.twitter.com/xL9vH5Uf8F

— GMA News (@gmanews) March 12, 2020

Last Thursday, Duterte led the inspection of NLEx Harbor Link C3-R10 section along with key officials of the Cabinet.

The government officials who will go into self-quarantine due to exposure to a person who tested positive for the virus included Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Tugade, Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Vince Dizon, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno.

Duterte chose to undergo testing for COVID-19 even if he has not shown any signs of the deadly illness, Malacañang said Thursday. 

Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President and his former top aide Senator Christopher “Bong” Go will have themselves tested for COVID-19 “to ensure that they are fit and healthy to perform their duties as government workers.”

“They are undertaking this preemptive step as per the advice of health officials given that they have regularly engaged with Cabinet officials, some of whom have opted to undergo self-quarantine as they were exposed to those infected with COVID-19,” Panelo said.—AOL, GMA News