By Jennifer P. Rendon
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not spared the top official of the Capiz Police Provincial Office (CPPO).
Colonel Julio Gustilo, Jr., Capiz police chief, confirmed on Thursday via Facebook that his real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test was positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease.
Gustilo tested positive days after Governor Esteban Evan Contreras also confirmed that he contracted the virus.
The Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 said on Monday that it has yet to receive the official report on Gustilo’s test.
“He will be the 35th PRO-6 personnel who tested COVID-19 positive,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, said.
In his Facebook post, Gustilo said he received the result evening of August 26.
He claimed to be on “strict quarantine procedure.”
Gustilo has also asked his close contacts since last week to undergo strict quarantine procedure until “we could all surmount this problem.”
“Ginahinyo ko man ang inyo nga pagpangamuyo sa tanan nga nagpositibo sa sini nga sakit kag maghatag sang moral support,” he said.
(I also ask for prayers for all those who tested positive of the disease and for your moral support.)
He explained that as Capiz’ most ranking police official, he could not help but go out and check on the prevailing situation of the province.
As such, “I could not exactly pinpoint where I could have possibly gotten the virus.”
Gustilo, who remains asymptomatic, said he did not feel any sign or symptom that would indicate that he was infected.
The Capiz police chief has also appealed to the public to be cautious to avoid contracting the virus.
“That’s why, it’s very important that we follow the guidelines and protocols implemented by the government. It’s for our safety,” he said.
Gustilo also asked for his colleagues in the police service to continue happily and heartily serving the people.
“Madamo gd nga salamat kag kabay pa nga ubayan kita sang aton mahal nga Makaako. God is good all the time,” he said.
On Wednesday, Roxas City Mayor Ronnie Dadivas also confirmed that he was under home quarantine after being exposed to one of the 62 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Dadivas is still awaiting his RT-PCR test result.
As of August 27, PRO-6 recorded 35 COVID-19 cases.
Ten personnel are assigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU); nine from Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO); four from PRO-6 headquarters in Iloilo City; and three each from the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), the Negros Occidental PPO, Capiz PPO, and the uniformed personnel (NUP) rank. (With a report from Felipe V. Celino)
