PNP Ordered To Go House-To-House To Find COVID-19 Patients
PNP SEARCHING FOR COVID-19 – The Philippine National Police (PNP) received a directive to go house-to-house in search of coronavirus patients.
Previously, asymptomatic coronavirus patients were allowed under home quarantine. However, there was a new mandate that stated COVID-19 patients must be placed under quarantine even when asymptomatic.
During an interview with ABS-CBN, Joint Task Force COVID Shield head Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar stated:
Hindi po kami ang mangunguna dito. Hindi po kami ang magkukusa, magsasarili na kakatok sa mga bahay. Maghihintay po kami sa guidance at request ng LGU
READ: PNP Seeks Protective Gear for Cops Conducting COVID-19 Checkpoints
But, even with the new orders, Eleazar emphasized that the PNP still has several tasks to see to. Additionally, he noted that the PNP would merely “help and assist” as local health workers identify positive patients.
Meanwhile, a rights group expressed concern regarding this latest development. According to an article from ABS-CBN, the National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL) said:
In reality, what is prone to abuse is not home quarantine but this unnecessary power of the police to conduct home visitations.
There’s no way this is helping the fight against COVID-19; this is helping the Duterte administration reinforce its hold on power, establish a police state, and normalize militarism.
What we need now is to step up efforts to support the local officials and barangay health workers in empowering the people with education and information about community-based management of COVID-19.
In the early days of the virus in Wuhan, China, police were also used to find and apprehend infected COVID-19 patients.
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