‘No more gay bar in Cebu City’

With the closure of an entertainment bar in barangay Banilad yesterday, Cebu City has no more gay bars, according to the Cebu City Anti-Indecency Board (CCAIB).

Personnel of CCAIB, together with the Prevention, Rehabilitation, Order, Beautification, Enhancement (PROBE) team, chained and padlocked Cheetah Bar and KTV for violation of Ordinance 1408 or the Anti-Indecency Ordinance which prohibits staging lewd shows.

“Based on ordinance 1408, even half-naked men dancing onstage is prohibited. And based on the complaints we received, the dancing men onstage were totally naked,” said Dr. Lucelle Mercado, chief of CCAIB.

The bar was the only remaining gay bar in Cebu City, Mercado said.

“This establishment is closed for violating City Ordinance No. 1408. Closure order dated June 11, 2013,” read a sign posted by CCAIB and PROBE at the bar’s entrance doors.

Prior to the closure, a huge “temporarily closed for renovation” sign was installed in the main door of the bar but it continued to operate, Mercado said.

Months ago, CCAIB sent at least three notices to the bar’s management  asking them to present their side.

CCAIB went on to process the bar’s closure after the management did not respond to the letters.

Mercado said that after the padlocking, the bar’s lawyer denied getting letters and notices from CCAIB.

But Mercado said she can present documents to prove that notices were duly sent and received.

The CCAIB is now focusing on rounding up bars serving hard liquor to minors.

“It’s so sad. Some high school students are turning into hard drinkers nowadays,” Mercado said.

Mercado said CCAIB is already processing the closure of some establishments serving liquor to minors.