MANILA, Philippines — Hotels that violate quarantine protocols will not be absolved from any legal liability, Malacañang assured the public on Wednesday.
“So, that’s why you need a law enforcer there in order to prevent such aggression or such violations because of the limitations nga of these employees of the hotel,” acting presidential spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said during the Palace press briefing.
President Rodrigo Duterte recently proposed to deploy police officers in quarantine hotels to guard individuals under quarantine from skipping.
“It does not remove or absolve them of their negligence, the omissions of their act, the non-reporting, and in any case, the cases will be filed. The cases will be prosecuted and then it will be up to the judge to decide,” Nograles continued.
Duterte, during his address to the nation late Tuesday, said that it would not be legally correct to go after quarantine hotel owners or staff on duty, should a quarantine breach occur.
“It would not be legally correct to go after the hotel owners or the managers there, whoever is attending to the needs of the people that are inside the hotel because of quarantine reasons,” the president said.
However, cases have already been filed against five employees and officials of Berjaya Makati Hotel for failing to stop a certain Gwyneth Anne Chua from skipping quarantine, Nograles said.
Chua and her parents are facing complaints as well, the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group earlier said.
Chua arrived from the United States last December and left the hotel to party at a restaurant and a bar in Barangay Poblacion in Makati.