Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 26) — Lawmakers are now on self-quarantine after getting exposed to House appropriations chair Eric Yap of ACT-CIS Party-list, who recently tested positive for COVID-19.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, and other lawmakers who were exposed to the congressman during the special session on Monday have started their home quarantine, a day after Yap bared that he has contracted COVID-19.
“Following protocols, all the Members and employees who attended the Special Session will go on self-quarantine,” House Secretary General Jose Luis Montales told CNN Philippines Thursday.
He added that the session hall and all other areas visited by the lawmakers and employees during the special session will be disinfected and closed.
For Romualdez, going on a self-quarantine would be “the most responsible thing” to do at the moment to avoid potential infection.
“While I had no close contact with our esteemed colleague, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman and ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Eric Yap, during last Monday’s special session, the most responsible thing for me to do at this moment is to undergo self-quarantine,” he said.
Isabela Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano said he had to go into another “serious self-isolation” for 14 days after working closely with the lawmaker.
“Cong. Eric and I worked closely together to fix and amend this bill with everyone else. I practiced social distancing with everyone there, but I had my mask off at times when we were all eating and working,” Albano said in his Facebook post.
Deputy Speaker Luis Ray Villafuerte, who was also present in the session, said that he will exercise the same precautionary measure even though he has not shown any symptoms so far.
Yap’s congressional office in Benguet was also closed on Thursday until further notice.
“In view of our latest development against our fight towards COVID-19, we will be placing the Congressman’s Office in Benguet in the state of physical quarantine effective today, Thursday, 26th of March, 2020,” the announcement read.
Last Monday, it took the lower chamber 17 hours to deliberate on the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act granting President Rodrigo Duterte special powers to address the outbreak. Yap was present in the session hall to sponsor the bill himself.
Prior to that, Yap also attended a meeting in Malacañang last Saturday with other officials even after he already had his swabs taken on March 15.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go also announced that he will be on self-quarantine and his staff would do contact tracing of other people who might have been in contact with the lawmaker during the meeting.
Yap is the first congressman who reported to have tested positive for COVID-19. Albano recently bared that another lawmaker had allegedly contracted the virus but has since been recovering.
Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Juan Miguel Zubiri have also turned out positive for the virus.
Pimentel has been drawing flak for breaching quarantine protocol and going to the Makati Medical Center to accompany his pregnant wife while still awaiting his test results.
Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he did not have any contact with Yap, but will still undergo another COVID-19 test.
“I’m fine but people think I should take a test again, I can and I will,” said Sotto.
Sotto already went through testing but said he was not given VIP treatment by the Department of Health.
