88 cops in Eastern Visayas test positive for COVID-19

TACLOBAN CITY –– At least 88 policemen in Eastern Visayas tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as of Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Among them were six police officers assigned at the Maasin City Police Station, which was placed under a lockdown starting Oct. 9.

Lt. Col. Mark Nalda, city police chief, said that on Oct. 7, he asked seven of his men to undergo swab tests after they reportedly exhibited flu-like symptoms.

Six of them turned out to be positive for COVID-19.

Nalda immediately placed the entire city police station under lockdown as he asked all his personnel to go on quarantine.

Southern Leyte police director, Col. Dantes Novicio, immediately deployed personnel to the Maasin City police station to ensure that the peace and order situation in the city would not be affected.

The augmentation force held office at the Tagnipa gymnasium since the city police station was still under lockdown.

Also among those tested positive was the chief of police of Jiabong town, Samar province.

Lt. Roy Agbon, the town police chief, admitted that he was tested positive last Sept. 29 and immediately isolated himself.

He said he had no idea where he acquired the infection.

ZB