ILOILO – To ensure the availability of personnel for security deployment while Iloilo is under quarantine, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has suspended all the leave privileges of its policemen.
The IPPO remains on “full alert” status, according to its director Police Colonel Gilbert Gorero.
Following Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.’s signing of Executive Order (EO) 163 closing all resorts, beaches and other tourism establishments in the province from May 22 to 31, Gorero reiterated to his men their responsibilities.
“Even with the added task of enforcing health protocols, we cannot afford to deplete our personnel strength in our anti-criminality and anti-terrorism campaigns,” Gorero said.
He added: “This is challenging but we have to embrace this. This is part of our duty.”
Gorero encouraged his personnel to be physically, psychologically and spiritually healthy.
The suspended leave privileges include: mandatory leave, special privilege leave, service leave, vacation leave, leave abroad, solo parent leave, and special emergency calamity leave.
However, this does not include sick leave, maternity/paternity leave, study leave, and special leave benefits under the Magna Carta for Women (for minor and major surgical procedures).
“We have to embrace the call of duty. We have to strictly implement health protocols not only to support the EO of our governor, but we have to do this to avoid an increase in coronavirus cases,” he stressed./PN
