THE Philippine National Police (PNP) reminded its personnel to be extra cautious in order to avoid contracting COVID-19 after at least three cops were found to be infected with the highly transmissible Delta variant.
“Three cases with the Delta variant were recorded among our ranks. Our Health Service is now attending to their needs for their speedy recovery and together with this is aggressive contact-tracing to determine their close contacts,” said PNP Chief, Police General Guillermo Eleazar.
“This proves the kind of sacrifice our police frontliners go through every day but still, we accost almost 6,000 people daily in Metro Manila only, and there were even protocol violators caught holding a party in Pasig City despite the ECQ,” he added.
Based on recent data released by the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, more than 40,000 violators have been accosted in the first seven days of the Enhanced Community Quarantine implementation in Metro Manila—or a daily average of 5,759.
The total number of accosted violators from August 6 to August 12 is 134,606 if those accosted in the four adjoining provinces of Metro Manila—Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal—are included, for a daily average of 19,229 accosted in NCR Plus.
The PNP also tallied 2,398 non-Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) violators in Metro Manila, averaging 343 per day, while 3,228 Non-APOR Violators were sanctioned in NCR Plus averaging 539 per day.
As soon as the Delta variant was monitored in the country last month, PGen. Eleazar immediately ordered the PNP Administrative Support for COVID-19 Task Force headed by Police Lt. Gen. Joselito Vera Cruz, to prepare for worse case scenarios to ensure the welfare of all policemen, especially those assigned on the ground.
PGen Eleazar then appealed to the public for cooperation.
“There’s no miracle in the fight against COVID-19 and continued non-compliance to quarantine protocols will not help at all. If we want to speed up normalization and the recovery of our country, let’s start with ourselves by complying with safety and health protocols,” said PGen. Eleazar.
He also disclosed that a number of cops have already been inoculated against COVID-19 but this is not a reason to grow complacent in observing health protocols.
Further, PGen. Eleazar told police commanders to ensure the cleanliness and orderliness of their police stations to prevent transmission of the coronavirus.
“I also remind our police commanders to keep their police stations clean and tidy, and to always disinfect their offices in order to prevent further transmission and to curb the spread of COVID-19,” he said.