Police monitor bars with show cause order

CEBU, Philippines — Since the lifting of the liquor ban in Cebu City, over 10 establishments have been issued show cause orders and are being closely monitored, said the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office head, Atty. Jared Limquiaco.

Very recently, Limquiaco said the F Cafe & Bar is given three days to reply the show cause order for violating health protocols against COVID-19.

The resto-bar’s management accordingly said they were to submit their written explanation yesterday but as of this writing there is no update yet.

The Freeman also tried to get the side of the bar management but it refused to issue statement after being advised not to do so.

No preventive suspension has been issued yet, so pending resolution of the issue, the establishment and all other establishments that were given show cause order earlier are still allowed to operate.

 “But gibantayan na sad na namo sila para ma note if naay violations while ga huwat sa resolution,” said Limquiaco.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has confirmed the report about at least 10 establishments violating the minimum health standard protocols as seen in their series of inspections.

CCPO deputy director for operations, Police Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, said they already submitted report and recommendations to BPLO and the Emergency Operations Center.

Parilla said this will be recorded to conform to Mayor Edgardo Labella's executive order wherein the first offense will be a stern warning while the second offense will involve closure of the establishment.

According to Parilla, they have been receiving several reports on establishments violating the minimum health standard protocols and these firms have been monitored by the police every night.

 "As of this time man gud, we are not focusing sa mga customers so that's why wala nata'y gi-apprehend but we're focusing on the establishment owners nga they will be reported kung naay violations," said Parilla.

The Mabolo police have responded to a report of a concern citizen who saw a bar in Barangay Kasambagan violating the protocol on social distancing which was also caught in a video last Friday.

The BPLO has issued a show-cause order against the bar owner while the Mabolo Police Station chief has made a recommendation to decrease the allowed capacity from 250 to 150.

"Dili lang gyud ta mag complacent nga ubos na anh atong cases, kay basin mapareha atong gibuhat kaniadto, ni-relax, nibalik og kataas," said Parilla.

COVID Cases

Meanwhile, Cebu City’s active cases of COVID-19 are down to 402, including 15 new ones.

Positivity rate is also very low at 1.59 percent of the 941 tested over the weekend.

Critical care utilization rate for the 15 hospitals here is at 20.2 percent only or only 186 are occupied and 737 are vacant.

The other patients are in barangay isolation center with a total of 147 while 34 others are at the Cebu City Quarantine Center and the rest are in the hotels.

No deaths have been recorded so far for the first six days of June in Cebu City. — Iris Hazel M. Mascardo, GMR (FREEMAN)