Eleazar says house-to-house search for mild COVID-19 cases not anti-poor

Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar on Wednesday stressed that the measure in which health officials and cops would visit houses to search for mild COVID-19 cases is not anti-poor.

In a radio interview, Eleazar said authorities want to prevent COVID-19 transmission among individuals whose residences are "ill-equipped" for home quarantine.

"Contrary sa iniisip ng iba na ito ay anti-poor, baligtad po. Para po ito sa mahihirap nating kababayan kasi alam naman natin na posibleng pag nagkaroon ng positive doon, dahil nga sa sitwasyon nila na ill-equipped for home quarantine, magkakahawa-hawa..." he said.

The national government has said mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 patients should not be on home quarantine if they don't meet the necessary requirements of having their own room, own bathroom, and the absence of vulnerable person in the house.

Eleazar said police would wait for the directive of local government units, requesting for their assistance in this measure. He reiterated that cops would only assist and not lead in visiting houses.

"Ito po ay para sa inyo, para po kayo ay matulungan at ma-prevent po natin 'yung pagkahawa-hawa. Nagbigay na po ng direktiba ang ating chief PNP Police General Archie Gamboa para po sa ating pagtugon. Uulitin ko po, hindi po kami ang mangunguna dito. Hindi kami ang magsasarili, magkukusang magkakatok sa mga bahay," Eleazar said.

"Maghihintay po kami sa magiging guidance at request ng LGU kasi bawat munisipyo at siyudad ay may local task force at ito ngang mga health workers natin ang mangunguna," he added.

The government's Oplan Kalinga has aimed to escort COVID-19 patients from their houses to isolation facilities.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año's announcement that police would go house-to-house to search for mild COVID-19 cases has alarmed the public as some had compared it to the police's Oplan Tokhang, under its anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Chief testing czar Vince Dizon has said Oplan Kalinga started on Sunday and Monday in Navotas and Malabon. — RSJ, GMA News