Sinas: Detainees in NCR police stations can talk to family via ‘e-Dalaw’

MANILA, Philippines — Detainees in custodial facilities of police stations may still talk to their relatives and loved ones via video call as residents are required to stay in their homes while the enhanced community quarantine due to the COVID-19 crisis remains in effect in Luzon.

The chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said this Friday as he described the arrangement currently implemented in all Metro Manila police stations as “e-Dalaw”.

“Pwede kausapin ‘yung kamag-anak na nasa loob, ‘Yung iba may cellphone at nagvi-video call using the Viber chat para makita na okay pa ‘yung kamag-anak nila,” NRCPO boss Major Gen. Debold Sinas said.

(They can talk to their relatives inside the custodial facility of the station. Some relatives are using video calls using the Viber chat to see if their relatives are okay.)

Sinas also said detainees are likewise allowed to use a cellphone provided by the police station under this initiative.

Sinas, however, was quick to point out that the cellphone is wrapped in plastic to avoid the risk of contamination from the coronavirus disease.

The COVID-19 outbreak started in China’s Wuhan City in Hubei province in late 2019. The highly contagious respiratory illness is caused by a coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2.

The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Globally, the virus already infected more than 1,015,850 people and killed more than 53,215 as of April 3. On the other hand, over 212,990 people have recovered so far from the disease.

KGA