Police to pull out COVID-19 positive individuals who refuse to transfer to isolated centers

COVID-19 patients from Alaska, Mambaling are being transferred an isolation center. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Patients who are positive of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City who refuse to be transferred to isolation centers will be pulled out by police if they will be uncooperative.

Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro said that as of this time, they are trying their best to convince  individuals are positive to transfer to isolation centers together with the barangay officials at their own will.

However, Ferro said that if these individuals will still not heed the call and would be uncooperative, the police will be forced to pull them out from their residences.

“If they will be endangering the other families of the barangay, we will be forced to bring them out of that place and bring them to the isolation area,” said Ferro.

According to Ferro, they do not want force these individuals and also risk police personnel entering the contaminated areas just to bring the resisting individuals out, but Ferro said it is also their duty to keep the other families in the area safe from those who may spread the virus.

There are reports  that some individuals still refuse to move out from their homes and be transferred to the isolation centers out of worry that their families may not have food to eat once they leave.

Ferro assured these individuals that the government will be helping the community in providing their basic needs.

On the other hand, Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, chief of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said that they continue to conduct mobile patrol in the areas in Mambaling where there are positive cases to remind residents to stay inside their houses. /bmjo