Nalzaro: Family feud or decisiveness?
IS there a “family feud” between Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing and his siblings or it is a case of the mayor’s decisiveness in implementing laws without fear and favor even if the violators are his relatives? I pose this question after the mayor issued show- cause orders against three establishments for holding Sinulog parties without securing permits from City Hall. One of the three establishments is owned by a relative.
MO2, Club Hatchi and Sentral Bar and Lounge, owned by the mayor’s first cousin Kyle Q. Bralante, reportedly held Sinulog parties last Jan. 21 without securing permits from City Hall. Sentral, which is located within the vast Quisumbing compound at Norkis Group of Companies on A.S Fortuna St. in Tipolo, is a high-end disco bar for the middle and upper strata in society.
What irked the mayor was that the management of these establishments ignored his early warning not to hold parties without City Hall clearance. He required them to submit security plans as part of their applications as City Hall wanted to pre-empt violence, rude crowd and heavy traffic if these establishments were allowed to hold open parties.
City Hall gave the three establishments five days to comment on the show-cause orders issued in last week of January. Failure to do so would result to closure. City Hall also withheld the issuance of their 2018 business permits pending the resolution of their cases. When checked by radio dySS reporter Norman Mendoza, the three establishments are still operating.
The management of Sentral said that they did not defy the mayor’s warning on holding a party. It was supposed to be a big party inside the complex but they changed the plan when they failed to secure a permit from City Hall. The management claimed that it was a normal night of operation with DJs from Manila. They pursued the “little party” because they could not cancel the bookings of the DJs.
According to sources, Pinky Quisumbing, mother of Kyle and Luigi’s aunt, resented the mayor’s threat to close her son’s establishment and City Hall’s non- issuance of 2018 business permit, saying the issue can just be ironed out by imposing penalties and not resorting to closure. The management is willing to pay the fine.
Aside from the show-cause order and non-issuance of business permit, the mayor also ordered the management to require their waitresses and bouncers to secure police and NBI clearances. Sources said that the mayor issued the order because of the series of violent incidents among young customers. Police had said that party drugs like Ecstasy are also sold in the bar, which management denied.
I don’t know if the mayor and his relatives are on good terms. But I agree with Pinky, Why resort to closure when her son’s establishment can just be administratively penalized. What if the management complies with all the requirements under the City’s existing rules and regulations on business operations. Even the non-payment of taxes can be compromised. Closure is the extreme resort. It will discourage investors.
On the other hand, the mayor’s action shows he is firm and decisive. That even establishments owned by his relatives are not exempt from the law. If they violate the law, then the books must be thrown at them. Kung sa Tagalog pa, “walang kinikilingan, walang pinoprotiktahan.”