BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The police chiefs of E.B. Magalona town and La Carlota City in Negros Occidental tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Police Captain Wilfredo Benoman of the E.B. Magalona police station exhibited mild symptoms while Lieutenant Colonel Jonel Guadalupe of La Carlota City police station was asymptomatic.
Police Colonel Romy Palgue, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) director, announced the COVID test results of these policemen in a press conference yesterday morning.
The two infected top cops are now self-isolating.
Palgue said the deputies of the respective police stations temporarily took over as officer-in-charge.
Twenty police personnel of E.B. Magalona police station, however, came in close contact with Benoman, said Palgue.
They had their specimens collected for testing and subsequently went on quarantine, the NOCPPO director added.
Palgue sent units from NOCPPO’s mobile force company to oversee the security of E.B. Magalona.
Aside from the police chief, Palgue also confirmed that one of NOCPPO’s non-uniformed personnel also tested positive for COVID-19.
To date, the NOCPPO has a total of 26 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 14 recoveries./PN
