The Philippine National Police (PNP) has created Admin Support to the COVID-19 Operations Task Force to protect the police considered as frontliners in the fight against COVID-19.
Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield Chief Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the task force will ensure the safety of policemen deployed at quarantine checkpoints.
“Ang role naman po ng (The role of the) administration is to see to it that all support needed by our men in the operation will be sustained….Ang mga suporta, logistics, mga gamot, (The support, logistics, medicines), protective equipment must be sustained,” Eleazar said.
The task force will be led by PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Police Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan.
Meanwhile, in accordance with the directive of PNP Chief Police Gen. Archie Gamboa, the PNP will start its COVID-19 testing for policemen possibly infected by the disease.
The latest data of the PNP show 19 are confirmed COVID-19 patients in its ranks. More than 200 are considered as PUIs and 1,300 are classified as PUMs. Two fatalities have also been recorded from the police force.
The PNP said it will excuse police single parents from their frontline duties, and that only a spouse from a PNP couple will be deployed while the other spouse will be delegated to administrative or support duties.
PNP Spokesperson Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the move is to ensure the safety of children of PNP personnel. – Report from Bea Bernardo
