Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office. CDN Digital photo | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CPPO) has temporarily ceased placing new detainees in the Pardo Police Station effective today, February 23, after seven inmates tested positive for COVID-19 on February 22.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, Deputy Director for Operations of CPPO, said that their headquarter at the Camp Sotero Cabahug in Gorordo Avenue will temporarily house new detainees from the Pardo Police Station as a preventive measure.
Parilla also clarified that said station is not under lockdown, only isolation for those who had direct contact with the infected detainees. He added that all personnel of said station will be subjected to a swab test the soonest time possible.
Pardo police chief Jose Angelo Acupinpin revealed that as of today, four of the seven infected Persons Under Police Custody (PUPC) remain in the facility after one was released yesterday through a court-issued release order. The released PUPC was turned over to the Emergency Operations Center for monitoring.
The other two, on the other hand, were already endorsed to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology after they got their commitment order today.
Quoting reports from health personnel, Parilla said that the detainees possibly got the virus from outside the station since they were apprehended for less than a week only.
“Possible gyud ni sila nga nagpositive na daan before sila na arrested.” Parilla said.
(There is a possibility that they were positive for the virus before they were arrested.)
According to Parilla, every police station in the city is now equipped with a health unit to help monitor their respective personnel.
“Whoever naay momanifest even slight symptoms, automatic isolated nana siya and i-swab kay naa naman tay molecular lab diri sa atoa sa sud sa Gorordo.” Parilla mentioned.
(Whoever manifests any slight symptoms of infection will be automatically isolated and swabbed since we already have molecular lab here in Gorordo.)
For now, visiting hours in all stations have been temporarily suspended while those who wish to deliver food to relatives can only do so in designated areas to limit the risk of virus transmission. /rcg