Bulacan village execs in hot water after allowing large crowd in river-police

Residents and local tourists were caught violating health protocols along the Bakas River in Barangay Matictic, Norzagaray town, Bulacan. (Bulacan Police Office photo)

CAMP GEN. ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan –– Village officials in Norzagaray town are facing charges for breaching health protocols when they allegedly allowed a mass gathering in a river on Sunday, May 23.

Col. Lawrence Cajipe, Bulacan police director, said Marcial Lucas, chairman of Barangay Matictic, allowed several residents and non-residents to go to the Bakas River for an entrance fee of P20 each.

The 7-kilometer river is a famous swimming place in the town before the pandemic.

Cajipe said Lucas placed three entrances to the river to enforce social distancing while collecting the fee.

Bulacan is on general community quarantine that allows outdoor activities up to 30-percent capacity only and with full adherence to health protocols.

But the police said they received information that people who trooped to the river failed to observe physical distancing.

Cajipe said local police confirmed that health protocols were violated during an inspection of the area.

At least 75 people were issued citation tickets for violation of Inter-Agency Task Force regulations, including local ordinances on mass gathering.

Cajipe said they were also investigating other barangay officials who may have been involved in the incident.

Lucas and other village officials have yet to issue a statement. INQ

LZB