JTF Covid Shield commander, Lt. Gen. Joselito Vera Cruz (Photo courtesy of PNP)
MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Debold Sinas on Wednesday named Lt. Gen. Joselito Vera Cruz as the new commander of Joint Task Force (JTF) Covid Shield, the government's arm in charge of implementing quarantine rules and health protocols.
Vera Cruz, the newly appointed deputy chief for operations (DCO), will replace Lt. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, who will mandatorily retire from the service upon turning 56 on Saturday.
"As the new commander of this task force, I expect (Police) Lt. Gen. Vera Cruz will continue the plans and programs of the previous commander and enforce strict quarantine rules in the country to mitigate the spread of the virus while waiting for the available vaccines," Sinas said.
The JTF Covid-19 Shield is composed of members of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Lt. Gen. Ephraim Dickson, meanwhile, rose to the PNP command group, after being named as the new chief of the directorial staff, replacing Vera Cruz. (PNA)
