Cebu City creates task force to watch biz firms’ compliance with health protocols

CEBU CITY — The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of this city has created a task force to monitor malls and business establishments and make sure they follow the health protocols against COVID-19.

City Councilor Joel Garganera, the EOC’s deputy chief implementer, said the task force has 16 members who keep an eye on the different activities in the city.

The EOC task force, he said, checks malls and business establishments during the day, while the Cebu City Police Office and the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (Probe) team keep watch at night.

“We are not here to make things hard for them because we know that times are hard. This is instead a way to help them because following all the protocols is the only way to save us and prevent the reversal of our quarantine status,” Garganera said.

The city government has issued show-cause orders to at least 10 business establishments in the past weeks for allegedly violating some health protocols.

Last June 19, authorities arrested 122 customers of a resto-bar in the city for allowing more than double its capacity of 60 customers.

Col. Josefino Ligan, director of the Cebu City Police Office, said the customers also violated the curfew since it was already beyond 11 p.m. when the operation was conducted.

The arrested customers were brought to a holding area in Barangay Cogon Ramos and were later released after paying a fine of P500 each.

Garganera said the bar management would also be made to explain its violations.

“Because what it did was blatant, we might endorse the revocation of the establishment’s liquor permit. This should serve as a lesson to all who disregard our safety protocols during this pandemic,” he said.

While an investigation is conducted, Garganera said the establishment’s permit to serve liquor would be suspended.

In Cebu City, violators face an administrative fine of P500 for the first offense, P1,000 for the second, and P3,000 or 30 days imprisonment for the third offense depending on the court.

Cebu City is under modified general community quarantine, the most relaxed form of quarantine in the country.

LZB