350 city cops get first COVID-19 jab

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Almost half of Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO)’s uniformed personnel got their first dose of coronavirus vaccines on Thursday at the University of San Agustin gym in City Proper district, Iloilo City.

Colonel Uldarico Garbanzos, Iloilo City police chief, led the 350 ICPO personnel who received the COVID-19 vaccine allocated by the Iloilo City Government for PNP personnel under the A4 category.

Garbanzos got the jab to boost vaccine confidence among ICPO cops and the public.

The 350 personnel represented 44 percent of ICPO’s 790 officers.

Due to the limited slot of COVID-19 vaccines, the ICPO adopted an order of prioritization in allocating the first vaccination rollout for PNP personnel.

Captain Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson, said all personnel with comorbidities or are immunocompromised, jailers, PNP contact tracers, Station Health Desk Officers, personnel detailed at Quarantine Facilities, and Investigators were first to be vaccinated.

All ICPO staff and station commanders were also given their first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, Garbanzos thanked Mayor Jerry Treñas and the entire Iloilo City government for allocating vaccination slots to the police.

He underscored that vaccination is vital to all police officers to protect themselves against the coronavirus and effectively perform their duties and responsibilities.

Garbanzos noted that policemen are one of the most vulnerable sectors of the community in the fight against the COVID-19 virus.

A good number of police personnel are currently deployed to the field to ensure all health and safety protocols are being followed.