AT LEAST 44 people were apprehended while the owners of a bar in Barangay Kasambagan will face sanctions for violating quarantine protocol during a surprise police operation in Cebu City from Wednesday night, Jan. 13, 2021, to Thursday dawn, Jan. 14.
Majority of the persons caught by personnel of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) committed several violations, including defiance of the city’s curfew ordinance, failure to adhere to strict physical distancing and failure to comply with the two-liquor-only-per-customer rule as stated in the executive order of Mayor Edgardo Labella.
Col. Josefino Ligan, CCPO director, personally led his personnel during the Oplan Bulabog operation.
This has been the third Oplan Bulabog conducted by the CCPO since the pandemic began in March last year.
Ligan and his personnel visited hotels, restaurants and even bars in the city, including those situated in the mountain barangays of Busay and Malubog.
Ligan said one bar in Barangay Kasambagan is set to receive a show cause order from the Cebu City Government and it must explain why it was caught violating quarantine protocols for the third time.
Terencio Saavedra of Cebu City’s Business Permit Licensing Office (BPLO) said the bar in question was previously issued with a show cause order during the first and second time they were caught by the police in previous Oplan Bulabog operations.
The bar was caught by police still serving drinks to its customers even beyond the city’s curfew hours of 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Saavedra said it will be up to BPLO head Jared Limquaico on what sanctions he plans to impose on the bar.
Ligan, for his part, urged the public to avoid gathering in leisure establishments now that Covid-19 cases in the city are increasing.
For Maj. Eraño Regidor, CCPO’s Community Affairs and Development Unit head, said the Oplan Bulabog operations will continue to intensify especially after the mayor issued a new executive order prohibiting secret Sinulog parties being held in restaurants, hotels and other commercial establishments in the city.
Regidor added their operations aims to prevent mass gatherings in commercial establishments especially that Covid-19 cases in the city are increasing since the holiday season. (AYB, BBT / JKV)