BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday confirmed that he has been tested negative for Covid-19.
The results released Sunday afternoon by the Capitol also showed that 16 others, including Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang and his assistant, Dr. Jessica Fama, and 13 other employees, also tested negative for infection.
The swab testing was conducted Sunday morning at the Provincial Capitol grounds in Bacolod City, after Lacson, Diaz, Tumimbang and Fama, were exposed to Provincial Incident Management Team head Dr. Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, who, with his three staff members, had tested positive for Covid-19.
This prompted the temporary lockdown of the offices of the Governor, Provincial Administrator, Provincial Health Office and Disaster Risk Reduction Management for disinfection purposes.
The four Capitol offices are expected to reopen today.
Kabankalan City Mayor Pedro Zayco earlier also tested negative for Covid-19, after his exposure to a Covid-19 positive patient assigned at the City Health Office.*