ADDITIONAL temporary quarantine and treatment facilities were established for the Philippine National Police (PNP) as active cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) among its personnel breached 2,000 on Saturday, March 27, 2021.
Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, PNP deputy chief for administration, said they recorded an unprecedented 2,068 active Covid-19 cases on Saturday.
Eleazar said 66 were being monitored in hospitals while 2,002 were in quarantine facilities.
He also said 63.1 percent or 1,304 were in the National Capital Region (NCR). Of these, 15.5 percent were from the NCR Police Office (NCRPO) and 18.5 percent from the national headquarters.
"As what I have stated before, the PNP is part of the general population and since the country, particularly Metro Manila is experiencing upsurge of cases, we expect the same result especially that we are on the frontline of implementing the quarantine rules," Eleazar said in a statement.
He said the PNP has been recording over 1,000 active cases daily since March 16, prompting them to develop additional isolation facilities.
The PNP’s cumulative Covid-19 cases have reached 14,283, including 37 deaths and 12,178 recoveries.
Of the confirmed cases, 5,687 were from the NCR plus area, which will be placed on lockdown on March 29.
Of the 5,687, 627 were from the national headquarters, 3,543 from the National Capital Region Police Office, 578 from Central Luzon and 939 from Calabarzon.
Isolation facilities
Eleazar confirmed a video circulated on social media, which showed that the Kiangan Emergency Treatment Facility is already crowded.
"We confirm that it indeed happened early this week at a time when the PNP was recording unprecedented number of Covid-19 cases. But measures were immediately undertaken during that time to provide the medical needs of our personnel such as deployment of more PNP medical and healthcare workers at Kiangan, deployment of more beds and setting up of more tents purposely to accommodate more personnel beyond the isolation facility’s maximum 55-bed capacity," he said.
He said Kiangan also serves as medical assessment area and transit point for coronavirus-positive personnel.
Eleazar said the PNP Covid-19 protocol requires PNP personnel who test positive for coronavirus to report for medical assessment at Kiangan. If all beds are in use, Kiangan serves as a holding area for Covid-19 cases waiting to be transported to other PNP isolation facilities.
Eleazar said they identified other isolation facilities aside from Kiangan, Ultra, PICC and Nice Hotel when they noticed a rise in cases.
The PNP converted the taekwondo gym into an isolation facility with 40 beds, the former Dehta Restautant into a facility with 11 beds, and Provident and other offices into a facility with 46 beds.
The PNP also converted its tennis court into a temporary isolation facility with at least 100 beds for new Covid-19 patients awaiting assessment and transfer to other isolation facilities. This is already operational.
The other facilities will begin operations on April 1.
More equipment were also put in place in the PNP’s triage area beside the swimming pool.
Anti-Covid measures
Eleazar brushed aside allegations that the PNP has been lax in the implementation of anti-Covid measures.
“To allege or to insinuate that we are not taking care of our personnel is grossly unfair and an insult to our medical personnel and healthcare workers who have been on the frontline and rendering overtime duties since day one," he said.
Eleazar said they have been conducting regular RT-PCR tests among their personnel, especially those assigned in Metro Manila, in order to have a clear picture of Covid-19 situation in the organization.
However, he said they cannot just isolate their personnel while waiting for the test as it would hamper operations.
Eleazar said to prevent the further spread of the virus among the PNP, some officers conduct surprise inspections to ensure that policemen follow minimum health protocols such as wearing of face masks and face shields at all times, and observing physical distancing.
He assured all PNP personnel of the all-out medical support system for those who contract the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said there are still enough police personnel to enforce enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) protocols in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal and Cavite from Monday, March 29 to Sunday, April 4.
DILG Undersecretary Bernardo Florece Jr. said the PNP will be assisted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and local government units. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)