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On Thursday, Duterte told owners of two billiard halls and the Wilbern Restobar that she would delay the reopening saying "kids have tendency to be delinquent and allowing them to smoke and drink is not helping them in anyway.”
The owners of these stores, located along the road leading to the Matina campus of the University of Mindanao – went to the City Hall Thursday to ask her to reconsider the closure of their establishments saying that their business was their and their employees' only means of income.
They also disclaimed responsibility for the act saying that it was their employees who allowed the minors to smoke and drink inside, but Duterte retorted that "the ignorance of your employees is not an excuse."
Duterte however said she would not pursue charges against them.
Authorities closed the restobar and billard halls after inspectors from the Business Bureau discovered on January 17 that four minors – two sixteen year olds and two seventeen year olds – were served liquors and were smoking inside.
Ordinance 1627 issued in 1994 regulates the operation of business establishments selling liquor, coconut wine and other nature wine and other alcoholic beverages in the City of Davao. It prohibits establishments near schools from serving liquors especially to students.
The Comprehensive Anti Smoking Ordinance of Davao City also prohibits smoking inside public establishments and orders them to designate a smoking room within their establishments. (MindaNews)