‘Major failure’: Bayan hits QCPD for deploying cops who turned out to have COVID-19

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Wednesday slammed the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) for its "major lapse" of deploying police officers who turned out to have COVID-19 as part of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) security.

On Wednesday, it was reported that 82 personnel of QCPD Station 3 tested positive for the virus.

QCPD chief Police Brigadier General Antonio Yarra then confirmed that 51 of them had been deployed for SONA security. 

Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr., who also attended the anti-government SONA protests, told Super Radyo dzBB that this means that the deployed police personnel could already have been carrying the virus when they faced the rallyists.

He lamented that the police officers were tested last July 23, adding that "obviously" police did not contract the disease at the protests.

He concluded that the police officers were deployed even as their test results were still pending.

"Hindi mo alam kung nag-positive ka kasi kapag nag-test ka 'di ka dapat dine-deploy sa field. May major failure or lapse na noong nag-decide na okay lang ideploy yung pulis na 'di pa lumalabas yung test," Reyes said.

[You would not immediately know that you tested positive because if you underwent a swab then you shouldn't be deployed at the field. There is a major failure or lapse on that because you decided that it's okay to deploy them even as the results are pending.]

On whether the QCPD leaders should be accountable, the Bayan official said: "That should be addressed to him [Philippine National Police chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar], kung ano yung gagawing action [on what to do next]."

Swab tests for detainees

Reyes further demanded that the QCPD identify the policemen who were assigned to monitor the rallies.

"Kailangan i-disclose ng QCPD kung sino ang humarang sa mga rallyista [They need to disclose who were blocking the rallyists]," Reyes said.

He also called on the QCPD to conduct swab tests for detainees at its police stations.

As a precaution, Reyes said his fellow progressive groups and other rally participants are undergoing quarantine. He said that so far, no one from their group has reported any symptoms of the severe respiratory disease.

Nevertheless, he said ,they will first monitor their health, adding that they have no scheduled mass protests for now.

"Wala pa kaming naka-schedule. Binabantayan anmin ang response ng government [We have no scheduled mass action. We are monitoring the government's response]," he said.

Reyes had blamed the QCPD personnel for delays in their protests, saying that the police set up orange barriers, violating their agreement with the local government.

After Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte asked the QCPD to explain, Yarra said that the delay the progressive groups experienced was due to the "narrowing" of the road. — BM, GMA News