Resort faces P1.7M lawsuit

A P1.7 million damage suit was filed against Imperial Palace Hotel in Lapu-Lapu City by a couple who claimed that family members got foot, hand and mouth disease after swimming in the pool.

Spouses Robert and Maita Zamora petitioned the Regional Trial Court to hold Imperial Palace Hotel Group and its owners Philippines BXT Corporation liable for negligence after Robert and their two children suffered foot and mouth diseases.

“They were very disappointed. It was their first time to use the hotel’s swimming pool,” said Wendell Quiban, legal counsel of the Zamoras.

Angela Emphasis, marketing and communications manager of Imperial Palace, said this was the first time the resort got a complaint like this.

“We opt to address the matter in the proper forum,” she told Cebu Daily News.

She said the management hasn’t received a court summons yet but assures the public “our facilities are well maintained in accordance with international hotel and ISO standards.”

“Had we failed hygiene and cleanliness standards as claimed, there would have been an outbreak or, at least, several cases of the disease.

The Zamoras said they checked in at the hotel last Feb. 24, 2013. Robert and his three children swam in the pool while Maita took photographs of her family. After they checked out of the hotel, Robert and two of their children experienced itchiness and fever.

Robert was confined at Chong Hua Hospital for five days while his two children were brought to the emergency room and examined by a dermatologist.