Station under lockdown after 14 Bacolod cops catch COVID

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected 14 personnel of Police Station 4 here, including its station commander, prompting the imposition of a temporary lockdown on the police station since April 24, 2021.

Police Lieutenant Liberty Indiape, information officer of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said five police officers initially contracted the virus based on their swab test results released last Friday.

Swab testing of close contacts followed, resulting in nine more positive cases among the station personnel over the weekend, Indiape said.

Indiape said the 14 personnel of the police station had mild symptoms and were already quarantined. “They were all local (transmission) cases,” she added.

The other station personnel who tested negative were isolated to the station.

Indiape said the remaining officers continue to render service to the public, but civilians are restricted from the station.

“Kung may magpa-blotter, i-cater man, batunon pero indi sila kasulod sa station, continue man ang police service especially kung need police response,” she added.

With the recent development, Indiape said the BCPO sent augmentation personnel from the headquarters and the City Mobile Force Company to support the remaining station personnel.

The 14 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) or detainees at the station were swabbed yesterday, as part of the contact tracing.

Indiape said Police Station 4 is the first station here which was heavily affected by COVID since last year.

Indiape said that Police Lieutenant Ricky Cayao was designated as officer-in-charge of the station after Police Major Jun Ray Batadlan was among those who were infected.

Indiape said the BCPO has a total of 16 active cases, including the two cases earlier.