ILOILO CITY — A jail officer assigned at the Western Visayas regional office of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
This was confirmed by Senior Superintendent Gilbert Peremne, BJMP assistant regional director for administration.
Peremne said in a Sunday interview that test results from the jail officer who resides in Zarraga town, Iloilo province only came out Saturday, April 26.
According to Peremne, the jail officer was among the staff of the BJMP who underwent swab testing for COVID-19 last April 20.
“Let me clarify. It was the initiative of the office to have our personnel tested. At that time, none of them were considered patients under investigation (PUI) or persons under monitoring (PUM),” Peremne emphasized.
The jail officer is usually assigned to drive BJMP’s service vehicle all over Panay Island, which includes the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo.
Peremne said that BJMP is closely coordinating with the Department of Health (DoH) in conducting the contact tracing.
In a separate statement, Governor Rhodora Cadiao of Antique asked its provincial COVID-19 task force to launch an immediate investigation after reports surfaced the jail guard who is now positive for COVID-19 went to Barbaza town.
Cadiao also urged those who met the jail guard to strictly isolate as personnel of the Antique Provincial Health Office are conducting contact tracing. (Tara Yap)