Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to monitor health centers and hospitals to secure medical frontliners during the COVID-19 crisis.
“The PNP should constantly monitor our hospitals and clinics and increase police visibility in all communities to guarantee the safety and well-being of our frontliners,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.
Año issued the statement as he condemned the incident involving Sofronio Ramilo, ambulance driver of the Peter Paul Medical Center of Candelaria Inc., who was shot in Candelaria, Quezon province after a heated argument with suspect Ramil Alcantara about the ambulance parking.
Wounded Ramilo is now under medication at a hospital while police arrested Alcantara, who is facing criminal charges.
Aside from this, Año also asked local government units to disseminate verified and accurate information about the coronavirus disease to avoid harassment and confusion among residents.