DRUG SUSPECT FLEES POLICE CUSTODY

The man with Covid-19 symptoms coughs in the face of an escort police officer

SUSPECTED drug pusher, who had Covid19 symptoms, fled police custody by coughing in the face of an officer assigned to escort him.

The man was on his way for a medical check-up at the La Union Medical Centre in Baguio City early Friday when he escaped, according to the Philstar.com portal.

Identified as Teofilo Doctolero Lopez from San Isidro, Agoo town, he was being transported to the medical centre after showing symptoms of the disease.

En route to the centre, Lopez removed the mask he was wearing and coughed several times in the face of a police officer who was escorting him in the vehicle.

This prompted the two-man police escort to stop the vehicle to disinfect the vehicle.

Lopez, who was allegedly caught selling drugs a week earlier, took the chance to jump out of the vehicle and flee as one officer washed his face and hands in the vicinity.

The escorts tried chasing Lopez on foot but were not able to chase him down.

Ilocos region police director Rodolfo Azurin said they were tracking down the drug suspect.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases nationwide jumped to 396,395 up to Saturday, with the addition of 2,442 new cases reported by the Department of Health (DoH).

Of the newly reported cases, 90 per cent or 2,200 occurred within the past 14 days.

The DoH noted that 361,638, or 91.2 per cent of the infected individuals, have recovered, after 11,430 new recoveries were recorded.

Fifty-four new deaths brought to 7,539 the total number of fatalities nationwide. Of the 54 deaths, 39 or 72 per cent, occurred this month. The rest occurred from August to October.

There are still 27,218 active cases, or 91.6 per cent that are mild and asymptomatic.