MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday confirmed that 33 of its personnel, both military and civilian ranks, were confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
During the “Tapatan sa the Aristocrat Restaurant” online news conference, AFP spokesperson, Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said the number includes 22 active-duty soldiers, six dependents, four civilian employees, and one reservist.
Also, 20 soldiers who were earlier confined at the AFP Medical Center in Quezon City for Covid-19 are now reported recovered, Arevalo added.
“We’re giving these figure(s) out just to establish the point na ang inyo pong mga sundalo na sa kabila po ng ating kinakaharap na paglaban na may namamatay sa ating hanay na bayani sa pakikipaglaban sa Abu Sayyaf, sa New Peoples’ Army, mayroon pa rin po tayong pinaglalabanan, itong sakit na (that soldiers, aside from facing death as heroes for fighting the Abu Sayyaf and the New People’s Army, they are also fighting this disease, this) Covid-19,” he said.
Arevalo said he is making these figures public so that Filipinos will cooperate and comply with the enhanced community quarantine protocols being implemented all over Luzon.
“So makipagtulungan po tayo, upang sa ganoon ay hindi na po tayo dumating dun sa punto na hahagilapin pa natin ang iba pang sundalo upang tumulong lang sa pagpapatupad at manumbalik lang ang disiplina at kaayusan sa ating mga komunidad (Let’s cooperate so we will not reach a point where we have to search other soldiers for them to help in enforcing discipline and order in our communities),” he added.
Aside from the confirmed Covid-19 cases, Arevalo also reported that the AFP has recorded 111 soldiers and four dependents as probable cases, and 141 troopers and 21 dependents as suspect cases.