The Bacolod Police Station 4 chief and 13 other policemen have tested positive for COVID-19, PLt. Greeky Cayao said Sunday, April 24.
PMaj. Jun Ray Batadlan, Station 4 police chief, said he tested positive late last week and was in quarantine along with the 13 other policemen.
Deputy police chief Cayao said there are 42 policemen assigned to Station 4.
The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has sent 10 augmentation cops to Station 4 while the 14 who tested positive are recovering, Cayao said.
On April 21, five Station 4 policemen were swabbed for COVID-19 and four tested positive, Cayao said.
Batadlan was then swabbed and also tested positive the next day, Cayao said.
PCol. Manuel Placido, Bacolod police director, issued a directive that all BCPO personnel should undergo COVID-19 swab tests, he added.
Station 4 was prioritized because it already had five positive cases, he said.
On Saturday night, results showed that nine more Station 4 policemen tested positive, Cayao said.
Placido said the 15th Bacolod policeman who tested positive in just a week is assigned to the BCPO headquarters.
He hopes there will be no more Bacolod policemen who will test positive in the coming days as surveillance testing continues.*