AFP headquarters Camp Aguinaldo goes on COVID-19 lockdown

The headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was placed on lockdown on Sunday, March 21, as the country continued to see a surge in coronavirus cases.

AFP spokesperson Marine Major General Edgard Arevalo told media on Sunday evening that the lockdown at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City started at 8 am.

“By this preemptive measure, AFP chief General Cirilito Sobejana seeks to arrest the alarming and fast-growing number of COVID-19 infections,” Arevalo said in a statement.

He added that details would follow.

Arevalo has yet to respond to reporters’ inquiries on the number of soldiers who have become infected with COVID-19 so far.

In February, the AFP ordered all 150,000 of its soldiers and their dependents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Arevalo said back then that refusal is not an option since the military is a “service-oriented organization” that performs various roles.

Soldiers who reject vaccination would face administrative complaints.

The Philippines has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases in March. The Department of Health reported 7,757 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total number to 663,794.

Due to the surge, President Rodrigo Duterte placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under general community quarantine from March 22 to April 4. Only essential travel is allowed, while mass gatherings are prohibited. – Rappler.com