Additional cops, medical workers deployed to Davao City amid GCQ

Additional security forces and frontline health personnel arrived in Davao City to assist in the COVID-19 preventive measures in the area. 

According to a 24 News Alert report on Tuesday, the additional personnel were from the Special Action Force and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion. 

Davao City police chief Police Colonel Kirby Kraft said a total of 26 SAF commandos and 48 members of the RMFB have been deployed to the city. 

He said the personnel arrived last Saturday, November 21. 

Kraft said he had requested the additional deployment from the Philippine National Police national headquarters to assist them in enforcing quarantine protocols. 

According to SAF director Police Brigadier General Bernabe Balba, two medium troop carrier gazelle were also deployed to Davao City aside from the more than 20 commandos. 

Doctors and nurses from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Health Service were also sent to Davao City. 

Some of the health workers will be deployed to the Southern Philippines Medical Center, the COVID-19 referral hospital of the city. 

A total of 5,881 COVID-19 cases were reported in Davao City. Of this number, 2,016 are active cases. 

Meanwhile, 3,601 have recovered from the disease while the death toll is at 264. 

Davao City was placed under general community quarantine last November 20 due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases there.

Private hospitals were tasked by the national government to increase their ward bed occupancy by at least 20% to 30%.

Accommodation establishments will be utilized as quarantine facilities for health workers as well as the isolation of COVID-19 patients. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KG, GMA News