For "lewd, obscene shows:" City padlocks bar for one year

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Anti-indecency Board (CAIB) and the City Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement (Probe) padlocked yesterday Las Vegas KTV bar in the North Reclamation Area allegedly for “lewd, obscene shows.”

The closure order signed by  Mayor Michael Rama is good for a year.

State Prosecutor and CAIB Deputy Member Aida Sanchez said one year is imposed because of the “intolerable activities against the law and human conduct” inside the KTV bar.

She said the bar, which paid P208, 251 in taxes this year, may renew its business permit only after the expiry of the order and would be closely monitored once it resumes operations.

In a separate interview, however, Rama said the one year punishment may be cut short.

“Even prisoners are given pardon, clemency, and the like to shorten their sentence,” he said.

Dr. Lucille Mercado, CAIB chairperson, said the establishment’s security guard received the order before the Probe team led by Raquel Arce padlocked the bar, which is located at the second floor of APM mall across SM Cebu.

Sanchez said they been constantly monitoring the bar since August to confirm reports on “lewd” acts performed by its entertainers.

She said they received several complaints against the bar because of alleged inappropriate performances.

“Ang mga babaye magsayaw-sayaw (The women dance) naked. Ang ubang (There are even) costumers mao pa gani mohubo (who are the ones who undress the women),” she said.

Sanchez said they warned the bar owner a month after receiving the complaints, but the activities still continued, as confirmed by surveillance made by CAIB personnel.

“Ni-promise man ang tag-iya sa bar nga di na mausab pero mao raman gihapon ilang gibuhat, naa man gihapon hubo-hubo (The bar owner promised to stop but they still continued the lewd acts),” she said.

Sanchez said some bar staff members even considered stripping while dancing as a form of art.

“Mao na di muanha ang mga tawo kung way hubo diha na (Customers would not flock there if there are no nude shows in the) bar,” she said, adding that such shows are very rampant now.

Meanwhile, Las Vegas KTV bar legal counsel Inocencio dela Cerna told The FREEMAN that padlocking the establishment was contrary to law.

“The closure is arbitrary and capricious, as our client was not given due process. No evidence whatsoever was presented to us regarding the alleged lewd show. In fact, there was no hearing conducted for that matter,” he said.

Dela Cerna said he would file a motion for reconsideration and ask the lifting of closure order.—/RHM (FREEMAN)