CEBU CITY—More than 600 policemen in Central Visayas will benefit from the cash assistance that the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be giving to its personnel who tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Police Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, chief of PRO 7, welcomed the order of PNP Chief Gen. Debold Sinas that will give P50,000 to every policeman infected with COVID-19.
“This is a morale booster for our personnel. It shows that our PNP Chief is taking care of our personnel,” said Ferro.
The PRO 7 was badly hit by the virus after a total of 616 policemen in Central Visayas were infected with COVID-19. Four of those who contracted the virus died.
Most of the infected personnel belonged to the Cebu City Police Office.
“We will have to check with the national headquarters if the same assistance will be given to the families of those who died because we already gave them some financial aid,” said Ferro.
Aside from the COVID-19 assistance, Sinas also ordered the giving of P100,000 to policemen who will be wounded in line of duty.
The latest recipients of the P100,000 cash reward were two policemen from the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) of the Cebu Provincial Police Office.
The two PIU operatives, whose identities were withheld for security purposes, were wounded in a shootout with a drug suspect in Barangay Guiwanon, Compostela town, northern Cebu on Tuesday afternoon.
The drug suspect identified as Jojo Paradiang was killed in the shootout.
Ferro visited the wounded PIU personnel at the Regional Health Service Unit and pinned medals on them yesterday.
“They are our gallant men who continue to work hard to make our community safe,” Ferro said.