National Police chief General Guillermo Eleazar relieved a police official from his post on Wednesday following his failure to implement public health protocols in his area of jurisdiction in Caloocan City.
Eleazar removed Major Harold Aaron Melgar, commander of Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 9, from his post following an incident several days ago wherein a resort located within his area was allowed to operate with swarms of people frolicking the swimming pool.
Melgar’s relief was followed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief’s directive to police commanders to closely supervise their respective areas of responsibility to help curb the resurgence of Covid-19 cases.
The Gubat sa Ciudad resort located at Barangay 171, Bagumbong, Caloocan City and falls within the PCP 9 jurisdiction, has been shut down by the city government after opening its swimming pool to hundreds of people, including small children, amid the imposed modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
The PNP chief said investigation is still under way to determine Melgar’s culpability in the Gubat sa Ciudad incident.
“We will still give him due process. But if the result of the probe shows that there is negligence on his part, he will definitely be charged. Even the [barangay] chairman who has jurisdiction over the Gubat sa Ciudad resort will not be spared from this incident,” Eleazar said.
Eleazar lauded the decision of Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan to prioritize the isolation and testing for Covid-19 on those who went to the Gubat sa Ciudad resort.
“I commend Mayor Oca for prioritizing the isolation and testing of these individuals. That was an important step to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The PNP chief however stressed that those who went to the resort would later be held accountable for their irresponsible actions based on the penalties stipulated in the ordinance.
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