4 Manila Barangay Officials Arrested for Detaining Suspected COVID-19 Patient

Suspected COVID-19 patient in Manila locked inside the house

Four (4) officials of Barangay 538 in Sampaloc district in Manila were arrested for allegedly detaining a suspected coronavirus disease or COVID-19 patient.

Suspected COVID-19 patient locked inside the house in Manila
Photo Credit: Reuters

According to Maj. Rosalino Ibay Jr., chief of Manila Police District Special Mayor’s Reaction Team, among those who have been arrested were barangay kagawads; Bobby Biason and Marvin Simbahan, barangay tanod Epifanio Rempis and ex-o Ferdinand Gatdula.

In a complaint sent by a concerned citizen to the authorities, it has noted that the door of the house was apparently nailed, making the person trapped inside the house.

The complaint added that all the possible exit points were allegedly blocked to prevent the suspected COVID-19 patient from escaping.

Based on the report of ABS-CBN News, discrimination among positive or suspected COVID-19 patients as well as frontliners is prohibited in Manila.

Ibay on the other hand stressed that there are protocols to follow whenever there is a suspected carrier of COVID-19 or upon the conduct of contact tracing.

Contact tracing is being conducted to interrupt transmission and reduce the spread of infection brought by COVID-19.

The suspects are facing a violation of City Ordinance No. 8624 which prohibits the act of discrimination and arbitrary detention under the Bayanihan Heal As One Act.

Meanwhile, among the safety protocols that everyone must observe in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are the following; social/physical distancing, wearing masks especially on pubic places, and using disinfectant from time to time if possible.

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