The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is ready to help in finding those who are suspected to have the variant of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra assured on Friday, Jan. 22.
Guevarra made the assurance after the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday it has asked the help of the NBI, through the DOJ, in finding the two Filipinos who arrived from Dubai and are considered the Philippines’ first cases of the COVID-19 variant.
“As of today we have not received any formal request for assistance from the DOH,” the secretary said.
“But the NBI will be on stand-by to help locate the subjects,” he assured.
The secretary explained the DOH and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) have “an established system for contact tracing.”
“The DOJ is not part of it,” Guevarra said.
“We’ll have to wait for their request, but we will be ready to assist,” reiterated the secretary who noted that the DOH only needs to make a formal request.