The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered all its units nationwide to assist in the government’s effort to track down and quarantine suspected carriers of Influenza A (H1N1) virus across the country following the declaration of the World Health Organization (WHO) that the spread of the virus has reached the pandemic stage.

Senior Supt. Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman, said they have already relayed a memorandum to all police units nationwide, particularly in areas where a case or cases of H1N1 infection were reported, to assist the Department of Health (DoH) in all its activities to contain the spread of the virus.

“The directive has already been relayed to the regional level. The regional directors are mandated to convey the directive to the lowest police units under their respective jurisdiction,” said Espina in an interview.

Under the PNP’s Pandemic Influenza Response Plan, police personnel may be tapped to assist the DoH in dealing with suspected infected arriving air or sea passengers who might refuse to undergo quarantine procedures at their ports of entry.

The PNP is a member of the National Task Force on Pandemic Influenza.

“Under this procedure, we are tasked with the enforcement of quarantine procedures and for rapid containment if in case the pandemic flu will indeed manifest here in our country,” said Espina.

The official, however, said the PNP has already prepared enough for worse-case scenarios of an H1N1 outbreak with the completion of training of some of its personnel on Pandemic Rapid Response. He said that a company of personnel from the Special Action Force and teams from the Aviation Security Group (AVSEGroup), Maritime Group and Crime Laboratory have completed the required training on Pandemic Rapid Response and Quarantine Procedures as early as last month.

“The force protection of personnel assigned at the AVSEGroup and the MG is essential for they are the most vulnerable because they are assigned at the various ports of entry such as international airports and seaports. They can also be tapped to assist the DoH in dealing with suspected infected arriving passengers who might refuse to be placed on quarantine,” said Espina.

Amid the H1N1 scare in the country, Espina was quick to clarify that they do not see a scenario wherein

PNP personnel would be compelling suspected virus carriers for quarantine or a group of policemen cordoning off a certain community.

The PNP spokesman said the DoH has conducted enough public information campaign about the H1N1 virus, adding that the people themselves should volunteer themselves for self-quarantine for the for the sake of their loved ones.