By Jennifer P. Rendon
Governor Rhodora Cadiao of Antique has ordered the provincial Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 (IATF) to conduct an investigation relative to the alleged visit to the province of a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) member who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In her Facebook post Sunday morning, Cadiao asked the provincial IATF to look “into the alleged matter of concern and file the necessary charges and protest against the persons or personnel of BJMP Region 6 upon verification/confirmation.”
In the meantime, the Antique Provincial Health Office, together with the Barbaza local government unit, said they “will do contact tracing and place all necessary people in quarantine for the safety of the general population.”
“Those who have had contact with the alleged BJMP Region 6 persona are requested to stay at home and wait for or contact our health personnel,” she said.
On Saturday evening, Jail Superintendent Gilbert Peremne, BJMP-6 deputy regional director for administration, confirmed that one of their personnel tested positive for the virus.
Peremne said their personnel underwent swab testing for COVID-19 last April 20. At that time, none of the BJMP personnel were classified as suspected or probable COVID-19 cases.
The jail officer in question was designated to drive the BJMP’s service vehicle all over Panay Island.
Mayor John Tarrosa of Zarraga, Iloilo said that the 31-year-old patient (WV59) is a resident of Barangay Sambag.
His family was already isolated at the Zarraga Central Elementary School, the facility designated for suspected and confirmed COVID cases.
The case of the BJMP-6 personnel became controversial after he allegedly went on a “non-essential” trip to Antique.
It was claimed that the jailer went to a wake in Culasi town and had lunch with a fellow BJMP personnel in Barbaza.
Calls to Peremne to shed light on the matter went unanswered.
On Sunday, the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD6) confirmed four new COVID cases in Western Visayas, bringing the total cases to 62.
