Hundreds of Angeles, Mabalacat cops undergo COVID-19 tests as 22 rookies found positive

PAMPANGA, Philippines – About 660 police officers in Angeles City and Mabalacat City in this province underwent rapid and swab tests on Thursday, June 25, a day after 22 of their colleagues tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 

Eighteen patrolmen assigned to the Angeles City Police Office and 4 patrolmen assigned to Mabalacat City Police Office were confirmed positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. 

The rookie cops are undergoing training at the Regional Special Training Unit 3 (RSTU3) inside  the Clark Freeport Zone. 

RSTU3 chief Colonel Frederick Obar reported to the Philippine National Police Training Service (PNPTS) in Camp Crame that a total of 204 RSTU3 personnel and trainees were swab-tested by the Philippine Red Cross on June 22, pursuant to the PNPTS memorandum that all trainees in all regional training centers in the country be subjected to mandatory COVID-19 tests.

On June 24, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results were released, wherein the 22 patrolmen from Angeles City and Mabalacat City showed positive for the novel coronavirus. 

Colonel Joyce Patrick Sangalang, Angeles City police director, said all the 560 police officers in the highly urbanized city started undergoing rapid antibody testing on Thursday through the kits provided by the city government. 

In Mabalacat City, Mayor Crisostomo Garbo told Rappler over the phone that all the about 100 police officers in the city would undergo PCR testing. 

“I’m not comfortable with the use of rapid test for our policemen. I opted to subject them to PCR test. As of the moment, around 10 policemen were already tested. We started today and hope to conclude the testing of our 100 policemen sometime next week,” Garbo said. – Rappler.com