PNP to manage PICC quarantine site, Gamboa says

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will manage the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), which has been set up as a quarantine facility for suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, its chief said on Tuesday.

"We are mandated to manage the PICC quarantine center. 'Yung pulis na mga doctor at nurses at meron ding mga guwardiya na nandoon din," Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

"Ang PICC managed by the national headquarters of the PNP but nevertheless, it is still being secured by National Capital Region [Police Office] which has jurisdiction over the area," he added.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles earlier said the PICC quarantine site, which will house 700 beds, would be ready by April 10.

The quarantine facilities were set up after the government designated certain hospitals -- Philippine General Hospital and the Lung Center of the Philippines, among others -- as COVID-19 referral centers.

Aside from the PICC, the World Trade Center and the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex were also designated as quarantine sites.

Meanwhile, Gamboa further assured the public that the PNP is prepared for the extension of the Luzon-wide quarantine.

Gamboa said the deployed police personnel would continue to undergo rotation.

"Let us be very active in trying to classify our personnel para alam natin ilan ang PUI, ilan ang PUM, ilan ang puwedeng gamitin, ilan ang reserved force, kung paano natin sila papalitan..." Gamboa said. — RSJ, GMA News