By Martin Sadongdong  Two police officers who tested positive for 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) succumbed to the fatal illness, the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed on Friday. Police General Archie Fancisco Gamboa, PNP Chief, said the fatalities were patient number 13 (PNP-13), a 46 year old policeman assigned in Laguna; and patient number 8 (PNP-8), a 48-year-old cop assigned in Metro Manila. Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, told the Manila Bulletin that PNP-13 and PNP-8 were the first two COVID-related deaths recorded in the police organization. "Yes (first COVID-related deaths), for those found positive only after test results were released. May naunang fatality sa Laguna pero cardiac arrest ang findings (There was an earlier case who died in Laguna but the finding is that it was caused by cardiac arrest) and was not tested anymore due to (the) limited supply of test kits," Banac said. Gamboa said PNP-13 was listed as a person under monitoring (PUM) and died last March 27 due to cardiac arrest. A post mortem examination was done and a week after his swab test, he tested positive for COVID-19, he noted. The second fatality, PNP-8 died on Thursday, April 2. While on his duty last March 19, the patient experienced high fever and was immediately admitted to a nearby hospital. He was then tested for COVID-19 and the result turned out to be positive, Gamboa said. In a separate radio interview, Gamboa said a police colonel was also rushed to the hospital after experiencing difficulty in breathing. "These are the sad stories on the part of the PNP. As we do our duty, we run the risk of being infected," Gamboa said over radio station DZBB. PNP officers have been deployed to man border patrols in the enforcement of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) measures in Luzon. According to the PNP Health Service, at least 13 police officers were confirmed to have contracted the disease as of Friday. At least 209 personnel were considered as persons under investigation (PUIs) while 1,545 others were persons under monitoring (PUMs), the PNP Health Service added. Gamboa said most of the personnel being monitored are asymptomatic. Nonetheless, he said the PNP provides appropriate protective equipment and vitamins to on-duty cops to help them be safe from being infected. "We fixed the shifting of our personnel to give them time to rest because if ever you came face to face with a positive patient and you have weak immunity, there is a big possibility that you might get infected," Gamboa said. As such, the PNP Chief discourages the field deployment of personnel who are aged 46 years old and up, saying that older cops might be more vulnerable to the disease. "We encourage our unit commanders to deploy those who are 45 years old and below so that their immunity is stronger," he said. (Martin A. Sadongdong)