Bukidnon mayors who dined with Sen. Zubiri now on self-quarantine

By Jigger J. Jerusalem
Correspondent

BUKIDNON mayors who met and dined with Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri have subjected themselves to self-imposed quarantine after the lawmaker announced he tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease 2019 early this week.

Renante Inocando, 44, mayor of Cabanglasan town, said in a phone interview Wednesday he and his colleagues isolated themselves upon learning of Zubiri’s Covid-19 test result.

Inocando said he along with 17 local chief executives from Bukidnon had lunch with Zubiri at a restaurant on March 10, the second day of the three-day League of Municipalities of the Philippines annual national assembly in Manila.

A lunch or dinner with Zubiri has become a sort of tradition whenever the province’s local officials are in the national capital.

Inocando is the LMP chapter president for Bukidnon, which consists of 20 municipalities and two component cities (Valencia and Malaybalay).

Those who did not attend the luncheon were the mayors from Impasugong and Kitaotao.

“I saw him walking briskly towards us. He looks fit. He did not even sneeze or cough during the entire time that we were with him,” Inocando said.

He said the senator told them not to shake hands with him as Zubiri has reminded them to observe “social distancing,” one of the ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Inocando said Zubiri came in with his brother, Bukidnon’s 3rd District Rep. Manuel Zubiri, and three of his senatorial staff right about the time the mayors were finishing their meal.

“He sat at the end of a long table and talked to us as he ate,” he said, adding the meeting lasted for almost an hour.

Inocando said he isolated himself from his family and even cooked his own meals.

“I stayed in a separate house within our residential compound,” he said.