PNP checking if cop who died of COVID-19 a close contact of Sinas — Eleazar

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is still validating if the cop who recently died of COVID-19 was a close contact of PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas, who is also infected with the disease.

At a press conference on Monday, PNP officer-in-charge Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said the contact tracing for the concerned cases is still ongoing.

“Inaalam namin yan. Alam ninyo po, hindi kami puwedeng magbigay ng identity ng mga infected ng coronavirus dahil nga po may namatay,” he said.

(“We’re looking into that. You know, we cannot divulge the identity of the people who are infected by the coronavirus because someone has died.)

Eleazar made the statement when asked for clarification if the deceased cop contracted the disease from Sinas or the other way around.

On Sunday, Senator Ronald dela Rosa said a police officer who was supposedly a contact of Sinas and National Capital Region Police Office chief Major General Vicente Danao has died of COVID-19.

Dela Rosa shared this information to reporters as he announced that the hearing of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on the PNP-PDEA shootout has been postponed considering Sinas and PDEA chief Wilkins Villanueva both tested positive for COVID-19. — RSJ, GMA News