NBI Manila HQ on partial lockdown following death of detainee found COVID-19 positive

MANILA, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) main office in Manila is on partial lockdown after the death of one of its detainees has been confirmed to be due to COVID-19.

“Nung Sunday may sinugod sa hospital na isang detainee at nag-expire ito Tuesday (The detainee was rushed to the hospital last Sunday and expired on Tuesday),” NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said.

Lavin said the detainee, who was a senior citizen, underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and came back positive.

He said five other detainees as well as an NBI personnel yielded positive results in the rapid antibody tests.

The Manila Health Office has been conducting rapid tests since Thursday, June 18.

Lavin assured that the NBI has isolation rooms where detainees would be placed after testing positive for COVID-19.

For now, he said the NBI would not entertain “walk-ins.”

“Strictly, yung naka-schedule lang,” Lavin said, referring to those with scheduled appointments will be allowed inside its premises including those issued subpoenas and those with applications for NBI clearance.

He added that they also have ongoing rapid testing and disinfection, which is why they would not allow “walk-ins.”