29 held for birthday bash at Quezon City bar

MANILA, Philippines – Twenty-nine persons, including a 17-year-old boy, were arrested for violating general community quarantine guidelines after they allegedly held a birthday celebration at a restobar in Quezon City on Friday night.

Ranulfo Ludovica, who heads the city’s Task Force Disiplina, said the 19 customers and 10 workers of the Karosa Bar and Resto in Barangay Talipapa were rounded up.

The minor was turned over to city social welfare officers while the others are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and the Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.

Task force members caught the customers drinking and ignoring health and safety protocols when they raided the establishment at around 10:30 p.m.

“The customers were not wearing face masks and were not observing physical distancing rules,” Ludovica said in a phone interview.

The waitresses were not wearing face masks and face shields, violating government guidelines in the operation of restobars.

Ludovica said the restobar has been under surveillance following reports the management has not been observing health and safety measures against the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

“We learned it has been operating for more than a month,” he said.