THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has created a task force that will deal with administrative matters for the policemen deployed in the front line of the battle to contain the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), a police official said on Monday, April 6.
Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, PNP deputy chief for operations and commander of the Joint Task Force Covid Shield (JTF CV Shield), said the Admin Support to COVID-19 Operations Task Force (ASCOTF) will be headed by PNP deputy chief for administration Camilo Cascolan.
Task Force CV Shield is the enforcement arm of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
”Ang role naman po ng administration is to see to it that all support given by our men in the operations will be sustained," Eleazar said.
"Napakahalaga po ng role nila. Sila po 'yung nag-a-analyze, nag-a-assess, nagpaplano kung papaano 'yung ating operational aspects will be sustained and maintained dahil hindi po tayo puwedeng tumigil sa ating ginagawa," he added.
According to Eleazar, the task force will ensure that the policemen assigned to man the quarantine control points regularly receive protective personal equipment, medicine and other needs.
The ASCOTF will also be in charge of the deployment of Medical Reserve Force in designated quarantine areas for Covid-19 such as the Philippine International Convention Center, Rizal Memorial Stadium and other facilities of the Philippine Sports Complex that are being converted into temporary health facilities.
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Bernard Banac said that as ordered by PNP Chief Archie Gamboa, single parents among the PNP personnel are exempted from deployment in the streets.
He also said only one spouse among PNP couples may be deployed to the front lines while the other spouse may be assigned administrative or support duties.
“The Chief PNP considered these policy initiatives to protect the welfare of family members especially the children of PNP personnel,” said Banac.
“This is to ensure the safety and security of children of PNP personnel from possible exposure and contamination to the virus,” he added.
In Camp Crame, the PNP has established Covid-19 testing booths at the Multi-Purpose Center for PNP personnel who are considered as patients under investigation (PUI) and persons under monitoring (PUM).
Cascolan also said earlier that they are considering the conversion of the PNP multi-level parking are into a quarantine area like the Kiangan Billeting Hall to admit more PUI and PUM police personnel.
Two PNP personnel had died from Covid-19 while 14 others had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which causes the infection.
The PNP said 283 policemen were considered PUIs and 1,676 were listed as PUMs as of April 6. (SunStar Philippines)