Iloilo City police chief, 40 others classified as PUMs

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

Forty-one members of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO, including its chief Colonel Eric Dampal, are now classified as persons under monitoring (PUMs) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Mayor Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City, who made the announcement on April 6, 2020, said that the 41 cops had close contact with an ICPO personnel deemed as person under investigation (PUI).

Treñas said the police personnel are now on home quarantine.

PUIs are individuals who travelled to places with cases of Covid-19 or were exposed to a positive case and manifested signs and symptoms of Covid-19 while PUMs are individuals who travelled to places with cases of Covid-19 or were exposed to a positive case and are asymptomatic.

Meanwhile, Dampal has yet to confirm queries on his condition.

Police Captain Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson, said they have yet to receive an official word from government or health authorities.

Before the declaration, ICPO had four personnel in the PUM list.

“They were considered as PUMs because of their travel history in Manila. They went to Manila for training and conferences,” she said.

All of them are about to end their 14-day mandatory self-quarantine. It was assumed that the PUI cop, a male officer, had been previously classified as PUM.

He went on duty as sector commander but he was lately monitored to have fever, cough, and diarrhea.

But his 14-day quarantine had already lapsed when he manifested the symptoms.

Sangrines said the police could have experienced over-fatigue and exhaustion due to the demand of his work.

“But because he is deemed as high risk because of his high blood, he was recommended to undergo swab test for COVID-19,” Sangrines said.

She said that the earlier the result is known the better for the whole ICPO Force.