PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa has ordered the immediate construction of its own testing laboratory for Central Visayas.

Gamboa gave the order as the Cebu City Police Office reported its fourth mortality from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Gamboa said they were still seeking the approval of the Department of Health for a suitable site for a testing laboratory at the Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr., the headquarters of the Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO-7).

“Capacity-building measures such as having our own testing laboratories will ensure that our police frontliners are tested and that we get the results fast,” Gamboa said.

“It is in protecting our own PNP personnel that we are able to protect the Filipino people better,” he added.

Gamboa said the PNP has 483 confirmed Covid cases as of Saturday, June 20, 2020.

Of the 483, 225 are from Metro Manila while 112 are in Central VIsayas.

The PNP is operating its own RT-PCR laboratory in Camp Crame, which was granted a license to operate by the DOH on May 26. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo)