'FAKE NEWS'

OCD denies raiding hospitals, confiscating medical supplies

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Thursday described as "fake news" reports circulating online that its personnel have been raiding hospitals and confiscating medical supplies and equipment.

"May kumalat po na fake news that some hospitals were raided by government, specifically OCD, to confiscate their supplies and equipment para ipamigay sa ibang hospitals. Fake news po 'yan," OCD spokesman Mark Timbal told reporters.

Timbal was reacting to some screenshots of messages circulating over social media stating that police raided hospitals and confiscated their personal protective equipment (PPEs) amid the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Asked if these screenshots could have been edited, Timbal said: "Possible."

Timbal explained that the agency has been gathering resources through procurement and donations similar to their protocol in previous calamities.

"What we have pooled are distributed to various recipients. In the case of the COVID-19 response, OCD procured PPEs and other medical supplies and received donations from various donors," he said.

"These are then provided to various hospital recipients."

At present, Timbal said the OCD's procurement of medical equipment and management of donated supplies are ongoing as the agency wants to help as many hospitals as possible.

"Hindi lang po sa Manila kung hindi across Luzon and other areas na nag-quarantine din in view of COVID-19," Timbal said.

President Rodrigo Duterte had tasked the OCD as the main coordinating body for all donations to the government intended for COVID-19 response.

The OCD was tasked to prepare an inventory of all the donations to the national government and the Department of Health and coordinate with relevant agencies, such as the Labor and Social Welfare departments, in the determination of which health facilities, beneficiary groups or establishments are in need of medical supplies. --KBK, GMA News