City market exec pitches higher fines for violators

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Market Administrator Irvin Cabales believes that a higher amount of fine would lessen the number of health protocol violators in the public markets.

“For me, ang ato lang siguro mag-agad lang gyud ta sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) pero kung mas higher siguro ang penalty, mas mominus siguro ang insidente,” said Cabales.

“Pero, mao lagi na, magkataas atong penalty, magkalisod pud sila og bayad unya mahadlok na hinuon ta nga unsa na’y mahitabo ana nila,” he added.

At present, the administrative fine for quarantine violators is at P500 with option to render community service in lieu of paying the fine.

Cabales said there were already around 700 individuals apprehended in the city’s public markets for not following the minimum health protocols, especially the wearing of face mask.

“Everyday man gyud ta maka-apprehend. Ambot ngano. Unya bisag giunsa na nato og remind ang mga tawo, mao man lang gihapon magpabadlong, especially kaning area diri sa may Ermita,” said Cabales.

Cabales said with the continuous strict enforcement of the health protocols in the public markets, an average of 15 to 20 persons are apprehended daily in the Carbon Public Market, the largest wet market in the city.

“Gani, wa nalang gyud namo gipangda (og) apil ang mga bata kay pwerti gyu’ng daghana mga bata nga walay mask. Ato nalang kanunay gilibot, gibadlong. Mao ning kanunay sad tang makadakop og mga tawo,” said Cabales.

Since January 25, 2021, vendors and market-goers had been warned that they will face arrest if caught without mask.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office has arrested a total of 867 violators from February 1 until yesterday. At least 149 of them were minors.

Police Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy city director for operations, said at least 120 violators are arrested every day.

On Saturday evening alone the police arrested a total of 151 violators, 17 of them were minors. On Sunday, 62 more were arrested, including seven minors.

Parilla said the arrests were made not only in business establishments but in interior areas of the barangays in the city. The police, however, noted a decrease in the number of liquor ban violators.

“We have observed from the start sa atong implementation sa liquor ban nagka anam jud og ka minus ang (violators) sa public places especially sa mga restaurants and bars, usa ni siya sa epekto nga lesser na ang mogawas,” Parilla said.

The minors are usually apprehended in the internet shops. Most of those apprehended were for non-wearing of masks and going out without quarantine passes.

“Mao na sad ni karon atong gibuhatan og reports sa internet cafe nga ila gihapon na gi-allow ang minors na mosulod,” Parilla said. — Iris Hazel M. Mascardo, FPL (FREEMAN)