MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City police arrested 73 people and "rescued" 10 after two inspections on restobars and similar establishments in the city found violations of quarantine protocols.
In spot reports sent to reporters Sunday afternoon, the Quezon City Police District disclosed that the arrests were made during inspections on all restobars in the city "to verify if they are violating IATF protocols and other applicable laws."
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The two consecutive operations took place Thursday night at Baia Luna KTV Bar located along Timog Avenue, Quezon City, and then later on Friday night at Chaparral KTV Ventures Inc., in Quezon Avenue.
"Ordinance Violation Receipts for violation of IATF protocols have been issued for the customers and workers...female workers and Guest Relations Officers were apprehended," the police report read.
Police said they observed "the presence of numerous workers and guests inside the said establishment, which is a clear violation of IATF protocols."
Customers, guests and workers were given ordinance violation receipts while the owners of the two establishments were slapped with violations of Republic Act. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
The second operation also found that "the establishment [had] an expired business and sanitary permits [and] expired health certificate of their employees."
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QCPD added that the string of operations was "in compliance with the guidance and directives" of Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.
"The QCPD has been receiving numerous complaints from concerned citizens that Resto bars in Quezon City have been operating," Police Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra, QCPD Director, said in a statement.
The district director added that random visits, inspections, and monitoring of bars and establishments in the city will "be continuously implemented."
Earlier, the police district cleared Councilor Franz Pumaren over a barangay feeding program hosted by the latter that drew over 6,000 residents in attendance, saying health standards were strictly implemented anyway despite the mass gathering.
To date, health authorities have tallied 1.46 million coronavirus infections in the country, 49,968 of whom are still classified as active cases. — Franco Luna
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Disclosure: Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is a shareholder of Philstar Global Corp., which operates digital news outlet Philstar.com. This article was produced following editorial guidelines.