PRO1 chief subjects men to swab tests
POLICE Regional Office 1 (PRO1) director, Brigadier General Emmanuel B. Peralta has ordered the conduct of RT-PCR tests on more Ilocos-Pangasinan policemen who were in close contact with the 195 members of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP ASG) who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus while undergoing field training in La Union.
The PNP-ASG personnel underwent their training program in La Union since they could not be any more accommodated in training facilities in Metro Manila and its nearby regions and due to protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
Peralta on Friday ordered the disinfection of the entire PRO1 regional headquarters in Camp Oscar Florendo in San Fernando City, La Union. On the same day, 424 PRO1 Patrolman undergoing the Basic Internal Security Operations Course or BISOC Training in Santol, La Union prior to their deployment to different local barangays were subjected to an RT-PCR test, courtesy of the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center.
The PRO1 also led the disinfection of all rooms and facilities occupied by the PNP-ASG personnel undergoing a Field Training Program last Friday in coordination with the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force and the Bureau of Fire Protection.
The 195 PNP-ASG men were temporarily quarantined in a local elementary school, the Journal Group learned yesterday.
PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas ordered PNP Health Service director, Brig. Gen. Luisito P. Magnaye to fully monitor the case of the PNP-ASG personnel and send a team of doctors and nurses to take care of the policemen.
PNP-ASG director, Brig. Gen. Florencio T. Ortilla, Peralta and PNP Training Service director, Brig. Gen. Bernard M. Banac have been coordinating with the San Fernando City Health Office and the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force their effort to have the 195 be admitted to local quarantine facilities.
While yet to be admitted, the policemen are currently being housed in a local public elementary school where drinking water, food and other logistic items have been sent to them.
It turned out that the 195 were among the 493 PNP-ASG personnel who graduated from their Field Training Program last Thursday. Ortilla graced the graduation ceremonies thru Zoom before the graduates were subjected to an RT-PCR test.
As of press time, 95 of the 493 have tested positive for the virus while 30 others are still waiting the result of their test. The rest were all found to be negative for COVID-19.
Of the 195, 192 are patrolmen while three are field training officers.
