ABOUT 53 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) committed by the police to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Bacolod City tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
City Administrator Em Ang on Thursday, April 29, 2021, said the 53 PDLs from various police stations underwent swab testing last week before they were turned over by the police to the BJMP.
Before their transfer, she said the PDLs were required to undergo 21-day mandatory isolation at the BJMP’s isolation facility.
These PDLs were not mixed with the other PDLs at the BJMP.
On Tuesday, an additional 11 police officers of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) also tested positive for the virus.
Police Lieutenant Ma. Liberty Indiape, spokesperson of BCPO, earlier said more than 300 policemen from BCPO headquarters and various police stations underwent swab tests from April 24 to 26.
Last week, a total of 18 personnel of BCPO also tested positive for the virus, including the station commander of Police Station 4.
Police Colonel Manuel Placido, director of BCPO, earlier issued a directive that all policemen should undergo swab testing, based on the recommendation of the Emergency Operations Center since they are also frontliners.