Violators of Cebu City’s liquor ban could lose business permits – BPLO

File Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Personnel from Cebu City’s Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) visited establishments in the city that are selling liquor Monday night, July 26, to inform its operators of the reimposition of the liquor ban.

But no citation tickets were issued, says Lawyer Jared Limquiaco, the BPLO chief.

However, Limquiaco said that this will no longer be the case when they make another round of inspection Tuesday night, July 27.

Limquiaco said they will already start their crackdown against violators of the liquor ban then.

READ: Expect liquor ban, 10 pm curfew to be reimposed in Cebu City

On Monday, acting Mayor Michael Rama signed Executive Order 136 that orders the reimposition of the liquor ban as a means to deter the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Violators will be issued a show-cause order that will require them to explain their defiance while they also risk losing their business permits.

“Gabii naa na tay mga less than 10 nga giingnan nga bawal na magserve of liquor, pero karon mo-issue na gyod tag show-cause orders,” said Limquiaco.

(Last night, we warned at least 10 establishments against serving liquor but this time we will already be issuing show-cause orders.)

However, Limquiaco clarified that convenience and sari-sari stores will still be allowed to sell liquor provided that these are not consumed within their premises.

BPLO will deploy a total of 10 monitoring teams to visit establishments at night and to remind business owners of the implementation of the liquor ban and the need to observe health protocols.

The BPLO teams will also be checking the compliance of hotels and restaurants that are only allowed to serve liquor to their in-house guests.

Limquiaco is asking business owners to be compliant “because the stakes are higher.”

When liquor ban was first implemented here, at least 50 establishments were issued with show-cause orders.  Some of these were issued a suspension of their liquor permit because of their failure to ensure compliance with health protocols, he said.

This time, Limquiaco said they already risk losing their business permits that could lead to the eventual closure of their businesses.

“Every night na ta magmonitor gyod sa atong establishments kauban ang pulis, barangay, aron macheck gyod nato,” said Limquiaco.

(Every night, we monitor establishments together with the police, barangays and we do check on these establishments.) / dcb