(UPDATED) Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Guillermo Eleazar on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, ordered the Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO 7) to look into a beach party, which may have been a super spreader event that contributed to a spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the Camotes Islands.
Eleazar issued the order after a video clip of the party on July 10, which was supposedly attended by some politicians, was posted online and sent to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
It showed some people who were not wearing face masks while partying. They also failed to observe physical distancing.
Eleazar did not name the politicians involved, but a complaint was filed against Cebu 5th District Representative Duke Frasco, Mike Villamor and Provincial Board Member Red Duterte "for holding and leading a social party in the evening of July 10, 2021 at the Santiago Public Beach in Barangay Santiago."
The complaint, dated August 13, was sent by an anonymous person to DILG Cebu Provincial Office Director Jhoaden Lucero.
It said the party followed the Friendship Ride/Run sponsored by Team Frasco on July 10. Duterte on the same day posted on social media about the Team Frasco Friendship Ride and Run at the Santiago Bay in San Francisco, Camotes Islands.
The complaint alleged that the event may have "caused or contributed" to the spike in Covid-19 cases on the island.
It further alleged that the event was held without clearance from the municipality and the barangay. The organizers also allegedly tapped illegally into a power line.
A copy of the video was also received by the office of DILG Secretary Eduardo Año from an anonymous complainant.
In July 2021, Camotes Islands and the entire Cebu Province were still under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Under the guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, gatherings in MGCQ areas are allowed for up to 50 percent of the seating or venue capacity. But the participants must strictly comply with the minimum public health standards such as wearing of face masks and face shields, and physical distancing.
Eleazar said he has directed the Cebu Police to conduct the investigation and coordinate with the local government unit (LGU).
“We will abide by the directive of our SILG Secretary Eduardo Año to investigate the said gathering, which may have violated minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols and could have been a super spreader event,” Eleazar said in a statement Wednesday.
On August 16, the San Francisco Municipal Government posted on its Facebook page that there were 27 active Covid-19 cases in the town..
Pilar town reported 10 active cases on August 15 while Poro reported 20 active cases on August 18.
The Tudela LGU does not post its Covid-19 statistics, but town Mayor Greman Solante said in a social media post on August 17 that nine residents had died from Covid-19 since July.
Based on the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH 7) tracker, there were 11 active cases in Pilar, 26 in Tudela, 32 in Poro and 68 in San Francisco as of August 16.
Eleazar reminded the public that the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic is not over yet and minimum health standards must be strictly observed.
He stressed that mass gatherings that are potential super spreader events are prohibited.
Eleazar also encouraged the public to continue reporting to authorities violations of minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols.
“Ang insidenteng ito ay isinumbong lang ng isang concerned citizen. We urge the public to continue reporting to authorities incidents where minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols are violated,” he said.
From August 6 to 17, Eleazar said a total of 516,767 quarantine protocol violators were apprehended by police across the country. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo, Marites Villamor-Ilano, Cherry Ann T. Lim)