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Gamboa says service providers, OCD must be included in probe on death of police doctor
By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa is hoping for a thorough probe on the death of police doctor Police Captain Casey Gutierrez.
At a press briefing on Monday, Gamboa stressed that if the National Bureau of Investigation will be tapped to handle the case, it must include in the investigation the service providers as well as the Office of Civil Defense.
"I hope NBI, if they will acquire jurisdiction over the case, I hope they will include everything... from the service provider, from OCD hanggang sa PNP... isali nila lahat," Gamboa said.
"Both PICC and Ultra, lahat doon ay actually being managed by OCD. So it's OCD who will put in there service providers. Sila 'yung may power to procure kung sino 'yung service providers na ilagay nila," he added.
For the part of the PNP, Gamboa said he already tasked PNP deputy chief for administration Police Lieutenant General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan to look into the matter.
"Just this morning, I gave a directive to General Cascolan to investigate the administrative flow of this quarantine areas," Gamboa said.
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The PNP chief noted that investigation is being done, not only to determine who is liable, but also to identify what aspects need improvement in managing quarantine facilities.
Gutierrez, 31, died on May 31 after inhaling a chemical while at a quarantine facility for coronavirus disease 2019 patients managed by the PNP.
Two other members of the PNP Medical Reserve Force, Police Staff Sergeant Steve Rae Salamanca and Police Corporal Runie Toledo, were also treated at the PNP General Hospital after experiencing conditions similar to Gutierrez.
Gutierrez, Salamanca, and Toledo were detailed at the Philippine Sports Arena (PSA).
While performing a routine decontamination procedure at the PSA on May 24, the team accidentally sprayed a concentrated decontamination solution that caused irritation and difficulty in breathing among the police officers. —AOL, GMA News