CAGAYAN – At least 63 new graduates of an internal security operations course will be deployed together with other personnel of Police Regional Office 2 (PRO 8) to replace personnel of the Tuguegarao City Police Station (TCPS), who were infected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) or have been placed under quarantine as a precautionary measure.
This was disclosed by PRO 2 Director Brig. Gen. Crizaldo Nieves, who ordered the deploymen Friday of a sufficient number of policemen to man the beleaguered police station.
It was earlier reported that 22 PNP personnel, include TCPS Chief Lt. Col. Jhonalyn Tecbobolan were infected with the coronavirus. Others who were pulled out from duty, but were negative for COVID-19, were subjected to home quarantine for at least 14 days.
Tecbobolan, while on isolation, will not be administratively relieved, but a police officer coming from the Cagayan Provincial Police Office will be temporarily designated as TCPS chief while she recovers from the viral disease.
According to Tuguegarao City Mayor Jeferson Soriano, intensified security measures have been put in-place after the lockdown was imposed at the police station.
Part of these measures included the deployment of 63 Basic Internal Security Operations Course (BISOC) graduates, composed of 48 male and 15 female personnel, who are residents of the municipalities of Enrile, Solana, Penablanca and Iguig, and Tuguegarao City to the TCPS to perform the respective tasks of organic personnel.
Additional 74 senior non-commissioned officers from different police stations of Cagayan will serve as an augmentation and team leaders of the BISOC graduates.
Meanwhile, the Regional Health Service 2 has already conducted orientation on the Basic Health Standard Protocols for the BISOC personnel Friday to ensure their safety and protection while performing their duties as frontlines in Tuguegarao City.
Tecbobolan while on isolation will not be administratively relieved however; a Police Commission Officer from Cagayan PPO will be designated as interim COP for the meantime.
Tuguegarao City is now under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) for 10 days starting on Wednesday due to an ”alarming increase” on confirmed cases.