Peacekeepers Quarantined in Military Hospital

FOUR more Filipino peacekeepers arrived Monday night from Ebola-infested Liberia on board a commercial flight and were immediately taken to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center (AFPMC) where they will be placed on quarantine for 21 days.

But the AFP leadership offered no explanation as to why the peacekeepers were quarantined at the AFPMC instead of Caballo Island, where the rest of the peacekeepers are currently staying.

Col. Roberto Ancan, commander of the Peacekeeping Operations Center, and AFP Public Affairs Office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, on Tuesday said the four soldiers arrived on November 22 and were immediately whisked off to the hospital as soon as they stepped out of the plane.

Ancan explained that “with regard to quarantine procedure and its duration, only the DoH [Deparrtment of Health] can answer it as it is not within the [competence] of the AFP.”
He did not say if the group is composed of enlisted personnel or if there is an officer among them.

Ancan said the four were the AFP’s rear party in charge of transporting back equipment left by the main contingent in Liberia.

The 18th Philippine contingent to Liberia is composed of 108 members from the AFP, 24 from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and one from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

Ancan said five members of the contingent are still in Liberia.

Cabunoc said “the decision to let them undergo the quarantine at AFPMC is based on guidance from [the] DoH.”

He added that the four soldiers tested negative for Ebola thus, they were allowed to take a commercial flight for the trip home.

(Source: William B. Depasupil – The Manila Times)