Probe of ‘Poblacion girl’ case set in February

MANILA, Philippines — The Makati City prosecutor’s office has set in February the preliminary investigation of the complaint against a returning overseas Filipino identified in social media as “Poblacion girl” and eight other respondents.

Gwyneth Anne Chua, dubbed “Poblacion girl,” allegedly breached quarantine protocols by attending gatherings, among them in Poblacion, Makati, when she was supposed to be staying in isolation at a Makati City hotel upon her arrival from the United States.

The Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) lodged a complaint of violation of Republic Act No. 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, against Chua, her parents, a friend and five employees of Berjaya Makati Hotel.

Police Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of the PNP-CIDG, said on Monday that Makati Assistant City Prosecutor Ma. Corazon Molina has scheduled the preliminary investigation of the case on Feb. 7 and Feb. 14.

In the complaint lodged by the PNP-CIDG Metro Manila field office in the Makati City prosecutor’s office against Chua and eight other respondents, police investigators said that Chua arrived from the United States on Dec. 22, 2021, and was supposed to be under quarantine at Berjaya Makati Hotel in Poblacion, Makati City.

But they alleged that on Dec. 23, Chua was seen in a gathering with friends in at least two restaurants after supposedly “escaping” from hotel quarantine.

Chua tested positive for the new coronavirus on Dec. 26 and was quarantined in a government isolation facility. INQ