Gen. Debold M. Sinas, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), was on a command visit at the Regional Headquarters of the Police Regional Office 4B in Oriental Mindoro on Thursday, March 11, when he learned that he tested positive for the coronavirus.
The headquarters of the PRO4B is at Camp Efigenio Navarro in Calapan City.
During a command visit of any sitting Chief PNP, a traditional arrival ceremony is being held, followed by a command conference with the top local police officials.
In the case of Sinas' visit at Camp Navarro in Calapan City, the ceremony was scheduled at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 11.
Police sources confirmed that the traditional ceremony and the command conference in Calapan City were held before Sinas learned that he tested positive.
Sinas underwent swab testing on Thursday morning before he went to Oriental Mindoro.
Apparently, it was not expected that he would test positive since his last swab test two days earlier, March 9, yielded negative result.
Reportedly, Sinas is asymptomatic. As soon as he was informed of the positive result of his Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), Sinas immediately cancelled all his appointments and went back to Camp Crame for urgent health assessment.
He is expected to undergo confirmatory tests. Police sources said Sinas was supposed to stay in MIMAROPA (Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occiental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) until Sunday since he has some scheduled visits that include Palawan on Saturday.