Around 400 Batangas cops affected by Taal eruption

January 16, 2020

Around 400 Batangas cops were affected by the phreatic eruption of the Taal Volcano, according to Batangas provincial police director, Col. Edwin Quilates.

“As of last night, we have more or less 400 affected personnel,” Quilates said in a radio interview on Thursday.

Quilates said almost 80 to 90 percent of their personnel came from Batangas province.

“We are accounting all our affected personnel… our priority are those who were hit from the first five municipalities although it was expanded to 12,” he said.

Quilates said he also ordered families of police personnel transferred to their headquarters in Camp General Malvar in Batangas City.

“I also ordered the accounting of their families staying in the evacuation area and they will be brought here in the camp so that we can assist them. I assured them (police personnel) not to worry about their families that will be sent in the camp,” he said.

However, Quilates said some of the cops' families went to their relatives in other provinces.

“So I’m collecting the aid for them so that we can send the relief goods for our affected personnel,” he said.

He added help from the national headquarters and other police regional offices will be delivered Thursday.

On Wednesday, Police Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa said the PNP will provide at least P10 ,000 financial assistance for every police personnel affected. Ella Dionisio/DMS