COVID-positive staff not with Roque in Boracay, dive shop attests

The dive shop that provided the diving equipment of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has attested that the Palace official was not with his staff who tested for COVID-19 during his trip to Boracay.

In a Facebook post, DiveGurus Boracay said Roque was "alone" when he entered their establishment and made his dive, and that disinfection protocols for equipment were followed.

"Sec. Roque was alone when he came to the dive shop on Feb 6. None of Sec. Roque's other staff [members] were present during his dive. Following safety protocols, our equipment is dipped in disinfectant solution after every dive and each staff adheres to the COVID-19 safety guidelines," it said.

"We were informed that he arrived in Manila on Feb 7th and had a negative RT-PCR result. The staff who was tested positive is based in Manila and did not join in Boracay trip," it added.

Roque has denied doing leisure activities in Boracay island despite having exposure to his staff with COVID-19.

“Hindi ko po kasama sa Visayas ang staff ko na nag positive sa COVID-19.... I left Manila last Friday. He (the staff who tested positive for COVID-19), picked me up from the airport on Sunday,” Roque said.

After Roque's photo in Boracay went viral and his admission that he is in isolation after exposure to a COVID-19 case, netizens wondered if he was already aware of his exposure before his leisure trip.

Roque said his negative COVID-19 result, as well as the positive COVID-19 result of his staff, came out after they underwent RT-PCR test in Manila upon his arrival from Boracay on Sunday. —Jamil Santos/KBK, GMA News