AFTER Davao City has allowed the resumption of serving liquor in restaurants and similar business establishments, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and the safety and security cluster will intensify their surveillance on business establishments and individuals.
DCPO chief Colonel Alberto Lupaz said during a press conference on February 16, 2022, that they will deploy more police personnel to monitor if people are practicing the minimum public health standards (MPHS) in public areas.
“Iikot ang tropa natin sa mga lugar na ito. Naka-delegate naman ang mga area sa police station, alam nila kung asan itong may inuman,” said Lupaz.
(Our troops will patrol these areas. It’s already delegated to our police stations so they know where these establishments are.)
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, said they will also deputize more city government personnel to assist the police beginning February 16.
Schlosser said these personnel are from the City Health Office, City Tourism Office, and the City Transport and Traffic Management Office who will have the authority to issue citation tickets and apprehend violators.
Meanwhile, Schlosser said the City Government may limit movement again if Covid-19 cases rise brought about by the easing of restrictions.
“There might be a possibility na magpagawas og (to release an) executive order or another city health office advisory,” Schlosser said during a radio interview on Wednesday, February 16.
“If there is a need to release another executive order to limit the movement of the people again to manage the surge, then we will probably be doing that.”
Lupaz added that persistent violators of the safety protocols may be sanctioned according to the 2020 revised rules and implementation of Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern act.
“Pag nag file tayo ng kaso, i-endorse natin yan sa prosecutor’s office (When we file a case, we will endorse it to the prosecutor’s office) and they will advise what will be the proper case we can file to our suspects,” Lupaz said.
Beginning February 15, 2022, Executive Order No. 5 Series of 2022 allows the serving and consumption of liquor in bars, videokes, hotels, and all other establishments open to the public.