All CCPO personnel are to be vaccinated — Parilla

CCPO deputy operations director Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla. CDN Digital Photo | Pegeen Maisie M. Sararaña

CEBU CITY, Philippines — One hundred percent of Cebu City’s police force will receive COVID-19 vaccines once the doses intended for them are already given.

This was assured by Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) during a press briefing conducted earlier today, March 2, 2021.

However, he clarified that that would only happen if all the medical frontliners have already been vaccinated.

“Base sa atoang yesterday nga meeting sa vaccine board, ang kining first delivery sa atong vaccine is intended for medical frontliners and then right after nga mahuman na ang medical front liners, isunod nasad ang atoang mga PNP.” Parilla said.

(Based on yesterday’s meeting with the vaccine board, the first vaccine delivery is intended for medical frontliners only. Right after them, the PNP will be given next]

He added that as much as possible, this would be a directive to all [CCPO personnel] since this will be in everyone’s favor. But he clarified that for now, those who prefer not to get the vaccines are free to do so.

“As much as possible that is a directive. That is also good for us. Para manas atoang kaayohan.” Parilla stated.

[As much as possible, that is a directive. That is also good for us, for our good.]

He added that for Region-7 alone, there are more than 10,000 policemen with Cebu City accounting for more or less 1,200 personnel.

However, it would still be under the decision of the region’s top officers to decide on who and what station will be given first.

Parilla admitted that, for his part, he is very much willing to be vaccinated. /rcg