Right after the RT-PCR results were released and showed that 82 of our QCPD personnel tested positive for coronavirus, we immediately conducted focused testing on all other QCPD personnel in order to identify, isolate and provide necessary medical assistance for all those who may have been infected by the virus.
We are now waiting for the RT-PCR results of 167 PNP personnel and we are already prepared for more testing, in coordination with the Quezon City LGU, based on the result of aggressive and continuous contact-tracing that we started on Wednesday, July 28.
Hindi pa natin alam kung Delta variant ang tumama sa aming mga kasamahan sa QCPD kaya nakikiusap tayo sa ating mga kababayan na iwasan ang mga espekulasyon tungkol dito.
But your Philippine National Police has long prepared for all worse-case scenarios like this, which include aggressive vaccination and preparing for more isolation and medical facilities, so we assure the relatives of those who were infected and also our kababayan of full attention and care for our personnel.
In view of the apparent breach of protocol when most of these PNP personnel were deployed for SONA duties even if they were still waiting for the result of their RT-PCR results, I have already ordered the administrative relief of the Station Commander, Police Station 3 of the QCPD, for command responsibility.
This should serve as a reminder to all our commanders to exercise prudence and to strictly abide with our existing protocols amid the serious threat of COVID-19, especially with the rising number of infections from the Delta variant.
On the other hand, I was hurt and offended by the unnecessary and insensitive comments from some personalities about the unfortunate incident that happened to more than 80 of my men.
Huwag sana nating kakalimutan na kaya naman sila na-deploy ay para tiyakin na mapayapa at maayos na maisagawa ang karapatan ng ilan nating kababayan na mag-protesta at maghayag ng saloobin, habang pinapangalagaan din ang karapatan ng mga motorista at mga kababayan nating commuters na hindi maabala ng mga kilos-protesta sa mga lansangan na regular na dinadaanan nila.
Hindi makatwiran at hindi makatao na hamakin pa ang ating kapulisan sa kabila ng kanilang sinapit dahil halos lahat ng mga pulis na tinamaan ng COVID ay dahil naman sa pagtupad ng kanilang sinumpaang tungkulin. Sila ay may mga pamilyang nag-aalala din at higit sa lahat, sila ay kapwa natin Pilipino, kaya nakikiusap tayo na maging sensitibo tayo sa ating mga binibitawang salita.
Right now, our focus is to ensure that all of our personnel who were infected receive their necessary medical needs and continue our aggressive contact-tracing and testing.
(PNP-PIO)-rir
