Customs employees ignored safety protocols amid COVID-19 threat, CCTV shows

Several employees of the Bureau of Customs-Port of Ninoy Aquino International Airport did not follow safety protocols amid the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

According to Jun Veneracion's report on "24 Oras" on Wednesday, the employees were caught on camera neglecting social distancing measures and not wearing face masks properly.

"Sometimes nakikita namin may nagbababa ng mask nila up to the nose level, which is very dangerous for our people as well," BOC spokesman Jet Maronilla said.

So far, a total of 45 Customs employees tested positive for COVID-19, most of them were from BOC-Port of NAIA.

More than 1,600 BOC employees, meanwhile, have undergone rapid and swab testing.

“We were taking it very positively na at least alam namin kung sino sa mga tao namin at naaalagaan namin sila at nasosolusyunan namin ‘yong sitwasyon," Maronilla said.

Moreover, due to the rising cases in the BOC-Port of NAIA, all transactions starting this week will be done online.

Meanwhile, the main office of the Bureau of Immigration temporarily halted operations after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee was assigned to the ground floor of the main building.

“Sa area po ito kung saan maraming pumapasok na mga applicant o kliyente,” BOI spokesman Melvin Mabulac said.

He added that rapid testing for the employees in the main building is currently ongoing.

At the Department of Justice, a total of 40 employees have tested positive for the illness after undergoing rapid testing.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has yet to decide whether to suspend operations in the department.

Further, operations at the National Bureau of Investigation continue, but with strict safety protocols.

The NBI urged all applicants to register online because walk-ins are not allowed anymore.

“Para ma-control natin ‘yong mga taong papasok at para ma-observe ang social distancing,” Marlou Baltazar, chief Information and Communication Technology Division of the NBI, said.

The Land Transportation Office has also urged applicants to get an online appointment before going to the offices. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News