DAVAO City Police Office (DCPO) Director Colonel Mannan Muarip has proposed stricter penalties for liquor ban violators during his courtesy call to the 21st City Council on Tuesday, August 19.
In his proposal, first-time violators would no longer be fined but instead face a prison term of six months to one year.
During his report to the city council, Muarip stated that from January to December 2024, the DCPO recorded 34 liquor-related incidents. Of these, 10 occurred on the streets, seven in establishments, and 17 in residential areas.
Additionally, of this number, stabbing comprises the majority of these incidents with nine; hitting with a hard object with three cases; 14 mauling and punching incidents; three shooting incidents, and five hackings.
Meanwhile, from January to August 2025, the number of incidents has already matched the total recorded in 2024 at 34 cases. Of these, 12 occurred on the streets, two in business establishments, and 20 in residential areas. The incidents involved various modes: three cases of stabbing and hacking, 13 of stabbing, two of hitting with a hard object, five of mauling, two of punching, two of shooting, and seven of hacking.
In a media interview at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Muarip said the move aims to reduce alcohol-related incidents, noting that crimes could be prevented if people are no longer allowed to drink along the roads.
"Yes sa una okay yung penalty magbabayad yung tao but titingnan nato yung mga taong gumagawa ng ganon, talagang may problema yun. We will not create another problem. Dahil lang sa penalty hindi natin sila nadala," he said.
(Yes, at first the penalty seems okay because the person will pay, but we also need to look at the people doing that — they clearly have a problem. We shouldn’t create another problem. Just because of the penalty, we didn’t correct them.)
Muarip said that violators of the ordinance facing imprisonment as a penalty would be brought to police stations for inquest proceedings.
The city director said that he is looking into coordinating with Councilor Luna Acosta, chairperson of the Peace and Public Safety Committee and the author of the Comprehensive Liquor Code of Davao City, on his proposed amendment.
He revealed that he aims to implement the amendment as soon as it is approved by the city council. He said that he drew inspiration from the proposed amendment from Metro Manila, which has fines and imprisonment as penalties for liquor ban violators.
Muarip added that he is considering including violators of public urination and individuals going half-naked in public. RGP