PNP solved 53 of 104 cases of attacks vs health workers

May 1, 2020

Around 100 complaints of harassment and discrimination towards health workers were received by the Philippine National Police ( PNP), according to Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar on Friday.

Based on PNP’s data, a total of 104 cases of attacks and discrimination against health workers were recorded from March 17 until April 29.

Eleazar said because of the swift police action, fifty-three were considered as solved while 13 were classified as cleared. A total of 38 other cases are still under investigation.

The PNP considers a case solved if at least one of the suspects is arrested and is charged while a cleared case means that a case was filed but no suspect was arrested yet.

The 39 arrested suspects were charged with appropriate criminal charges.

 “Our Chief PNP (Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa) has already ordered for the intense manhunt operations against those who remain at large,” he said.

According to the data, most attacks and discrimination occurred in Central Visayas with 17 cases, Western Visayas with 14, MIMAROPA (Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) with 11 and Metro Manila with 10 cases.

There was no recorded attack at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

Among  attacks and discrimination to health workers are splashing of cleaning chemicals similar to what happened in Cebu and Cotabato and being evicted from their rented places.

 Eleazar, commander of Joint Task Force Covid Shield, commended the PNP for prioritizing  health workers considered as frontliners of the country’s fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

 “The Filipino people owe ( a lot) to the health workers why we are still standing as a nation and why we continue to believe that we could defeat the coronavirus disease,” he said.

“Health workers serve as the hope and the inspiration of even the other frontliners, like the police and the military to continue fighting because they know even if they fall, there will be health workers who would take care of them,” he added.

Eleazar said the least law enforcers can do is to “protect them from shameless and inconsiderate people who unfairly treat them despite their sacrifices”.

In compliance with the order of President Rodrigo Duterte, Gamboa also tasked policemen manning Quarantine Control Points to provide vehicles to transport health workers who are having difficulty going to their work or going home.

Eleazar expressed confidence that the efficiency police are showing to prioritizing health workers-related attacks will discourage people from attacking and discriminating them.

“We will make sure that these people who would dare attack or discriminate our hero health workers will pay,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS