FRONTLINER’S TRAVAILS: Coronavirus isolates cop from daughter

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – It was not a happy reunion for a police officer who returned to his home province in Negros Occidental after being assigned to Iloilo City.

Police Lieutenant Honey Labaro, 36, came home Wednesday night to augment the police force here in police stations. But instead of spending time with his family, especially with his daughter, he opted to isolate himself as he feared for their safety due to the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Labaro posted a photo on his Facebook account, showing him eating outside their house while his nine-year-old daughter looked on from inside.

The photo went viral and garnered positive reactions from the netizens, thanking him for the sacrifices of all police officers as one of the frontliners against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The photo posted on Daily Guardian’s Facebook page has garnered 30,000 reactions, 14,000 shares, and 1,500 comments.

Labaro said that he is on a 14-day self quarantine after he had a travel history to Iloilo, where two confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported early this week.

“Natakot lang ako nung ma balitaan ko na dalawa na ang nag positive sa COVID-19 doon sa iloilo, nasa hotel pa kami nun naka stay nang mga kasama ko at hindi namin alam kung sino sino ang labas pasok doon sa hotel,” he added.

He made a tent outside their home since he cannot enter their house because of his work.

“My daughter was asking about my silence. She talks to me but I refused to say anything to her. I keep distance from my family because I’m afraid I may be a carrier too,” he said.

He said he posted the photo on social media to encourage others to stay at home and follow safety protocols.

“Please stay at home so that this pandemic will not last long. Because like you, we also love to go out with our family,” he said.

Labaro is married to a police officer and joined the service via lateral entry in March 2019 and graduated a year after.

Labaro’s wife, who is assigned at the administrative branch in Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) headquarters, is also practicing safety protocol by taking a shower and changing her clothes before entering their house.

“It’s our standard operating procedure,” he added.