OFWs with COVID-19 who escaped from quarantine facility can be easily traced, Eleazar says

The repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who escaped from quarantine facility can be easily traced by authorities, Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said on Monday.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Eleazar said concerned agencies have obtanined enough information on these OFWs before they were placed under their quarantine facility.

Eleazar said these information can be used to identify and track them.

“Sigurado naman na ang ating unit commander on the ground ay nakipag-coordinate na sa mga ahensyang iyan para mahanap itong sinasabing tumakas,” he said.

“Siguradong nakuha na ang basic information niyan at ang ating pulis naman po ay naka-deploy anywhere in the Philippines. Madali nating mahahanap ‘yan sa pakikipag-coordinate sa mga ahensyang ito,” he added.

On Sunday, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo said after the OFWs escaped, their test results were released showing they were positive for coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19).

He said these OFWs may be charged for violating the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

Earlier, PCG commandant Admiral Joel Garcia said up to 18,000 OFWs were stranded in Metro Manila as local government units refused to allow them entry in their jurisdiction due to the COVID-19 threat.

Some of the stranded OFWs have complained that they've been staying at the facility longer than the required 14-day quarantine.

PCG admitted that there were delays in processing the swab samples of OFWs because the Philippine Red Cross is also conducting PCR-based tests for local government units.

So far, the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) has released only 6,000 certificates of COVID-19 results of some OFWs, according to Garcia.

Balilo encouraged OFWs to be patient in waiting for their COVID-19 test results. He said the PCG is already working with the BOQ for faster release of test results. --Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News