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DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 22 Feb) – The City Government of Davao will press charges against the management of Supladoz Illustre Restobar where a crowd of manic partygoers came in droves last February 19, in breach of the health protocols. During an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Tuesday, lawyer Arsenio Caballero Jr., Attorney IV at the Davao City Legal Office, said the security sector was alarmed upon seeing the situation at the local bar last Saturday or only five days after Mayor Sara Duterte lifted the ban on serving of liquor in the restobars. He said the management had failed to regulate the partygoers and to enforce minimum public health standards (MPHS). He said while community restrictions have eased, business owners are reminded to enforce MPHS, particularly the wearing of face masks and physical distancing, since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is not yet over. “To our business establishments serving liquor, although the liquor ban is lifted, but I would like to remind you that our law mandates the minimum public health standards must be observed,” he said. Photos of people queueing outside and videos of customers dancing inside the restobar have been circulating on social media. Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson for Davao City COVID-19 Task Force, said in a press release issued by the City Information Office on Tuesday that cases will be filed against the bar owner for operating without a business permit and for violating COVID-19 protocols, such as non-compliance with the mandatory MPHS and the failure to employ Safe DQR scanning for its clients. Last February 14, Duterte lifted the ban on serving of liquors in public and allowed face-to-face events. She said the City Legal Office is currently investigating the incident. The mayor said citation tickets were also issued to MPHS violators. She said the city has no records of the partygoers who came in last Saturday since the management did not use the DQR for contact tracing. Supladoz, Duterte said, had stopped operation after the Business Bureau issued a cease-and-desist order last February 20. “We will remind them that they won’t be receiving a safety seal without adhering to the standards needed to achieve it. At the same time, we have also deputized a lot not just our police personnel but also the people from the response cluster so that we can all help in making sure that MPHS is being strictly followed,” she said. Caballero added that more personnel from the security sector and local government will be deployed to monitor the bars in the city to ensure that they comply with the MPHS. He told business owners to remind their customers to keep their masks on if they are not eating and drinking and maintain physical distancing from each other. “I think the security will be tightened for establishments. Expect more police visibility and government personnel to accost you to follow social distancing and wearing of face masks. We have an ordinance on the mandatory wearing of face masks,” Caballero stressed. As of February 21, Department of Health (DOH)-Davao reported 27 new cases in the city, bringing the total to 134,324 with 62,282 recovered, 655 active, and 1,908 dead. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
