Manila Police District station 11 in the Binondo area was placed under lockdown or special quarantine after 46 police officers tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Manila City Public Information Office. 

The order was given by MPD chief Police Brigadier General Leo Francisco to curb the surging cases of COVID-19 among police officers in the station.

As of 2 pm, March 15, MPD has recorded 46 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its 121 police officers from station 11 who have undergone COVID-19 testing. 37 tested negative, while 38 are still waiting for their results. 

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Philippine National Police acting chief Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said in a text message that he already ordered immediate isolation and contact tracing. 

“[We’ve already ordered] immediate isolation of 46 persons and aggressive contact tracing for health assessment of close contacts,” said Eleazar. 

Following the recommendations of the MPD, the 38 police officers who are still waiting for their results will be quarantined inside the station. Continued disinfection in the premises will also be implemented. 

Meanwhile, the police officers who tested negative will continue with their duties, while other activities of MPD station 11 will be suspended. 

On March 8, the Department of the Interior and Local Government ordered the PNP to increase police deployment and strictly enforce minimum public health standards in places that registered a spike in COVID-19 cases. 

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“Naging kampante ang ating mga LGUs maging ang PNP sa enforcement ng ating mga minimum health standards kaya’t inaatasan ko ang ating mga local officials, kasama ang mga barangay at kapulisan, na puspusang ipatupad ang basic health protocols sa lahat ng barangay sa ating bansa,” said DILG officer-in-charge Bernardo C. Florece. 

(Our LGUs and the PNP became lax in enforcing our minimum health standards that’s why I am ordering our local officials, including barangay officials and the police, to enforce basic health protocols in the entire country.)

In accordance with the implementation of uniformed curfew hours in Metro Manila, the PNP deployed a total of 9,634 policemen and set up 373 checkpoints to enforce curfew in the capital region. 

As of March 14, Sunday, the PNP has recorded a total of 12,240 COVID-19 cases among policemen, with 33 deaths and 890 active cases. – Rappler.com