The Department of Justice (DOJ) main office in Manila will be on a total lockdown along with work suspension after some of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra announced that the lockdown will start from March 19 to 23 after the DOJ reported 17 active Covid-19 infections, including seven new cases on Thursday. 

The department’s buildings and premises were already under lockdown from March 12 to 16. 

 “I’m constrained to order another suspension of on-site work at the DOJ,” Guevarra said.

DOJ employees will work from home and a skeleton staff will be stationed at the DOJ to receive documents and accommodate other frontline services. 

One of the DOJ’s employees who was Covid-19 positive has died due to other medical reasons. Ronald dela Cruz