Metro Manila, PHILIPPINES — Senators Panfilo Lacson and Sherwin Gatchalian, who are both running in the upcoming elections, announced on Friday that they tested positive for COVID-19.
Senatorial reelectionist Gatchalian said he has mild symptoms, while presidential aspirant Lacson said he has experienced sore throat, fever, and colds after he was exposed to his COVID-positive son earlier this week.
Lacson complained of delays in receiving the result of the swab test he took on Tuesday, prompting his family to undergo another test.
Lockdown in Senate, House
Aside from the lawmakers, dozens of employees of the Senate have also either contracted COVID-19 or are under quarantine. This prompted Senate President Tito Sotto to order a “total closure” of the upper chamber for a week.
“Total closure ang recommendation nila (Their recommendation was total closure) for seven days. So nobody can enter the Senate premises except those that will do the disinfection on January 8 and 15. Therefore, I will heed the call of the medical team,” Sotto said in a message to reporters.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives will extend its lockdown until Jan. 16 amid the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco announced on the same day.
He said regular work in the House will resume on Jan. 17, when the legislature is also scheduled to convene for its first plenary session since the holiday break.
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