Lapu-Lapu City’s liquor ban stays for now – Banzon
Police Colonel Arnel Banzon, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office chief
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The prohibition against drinking of liquor especially in public places remains in effect even after Lapu-Lapu City’s status was already downgraded from Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions starting on September 8.
Police Colonel Arnel Banzon, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, said that lifting the liquor ban now will only encourage gatherings that may cause the spread of the coronavirus disease.
“Kung sa amoa, mas maayo nga padayun gihapon kay anha man gud diha mag sugod mag tapok tapok na mas maayo nga i maintain lang sa nato hangtod nga majority na sa atoa kay controlled na gyud nato,” he said.
(As for me, I would prefer to continue the implementation of the liquor ban until the situation is under control because people will again gather as soon as it is lifted.)
READ: IATF downgrades quarantine statuses of Cebu tri-cities
After having been placed under MECQ in August, the cities of Cebu and Mandaue shifted to a more relaxed GCQ while Lapu-Lapu City, on the other hand, transitioned to “GCQ with heightened restrictions.”
The new quarantine classification took effect on September 8 and will continue until September 30.
Data from the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) show that Lapu-Lapu City only logged 57 new cases of the infection on Saturday, September 11. This brings to 1, 338 the total number of active cases in the city.
Banzon said they also noticed a drop in the number of quarantine violators to an average of only 70 to 100 per day since September 8.
They used to make over a hundred apprehensions per day in August.
Still, Banzon said that they cannot afford to be lenient to prevent another rise in the number of active cases in their city.
While they are now under “GCQ with heightened restrictions,” Banzon said they will continue to strictly implement health and safety protocols and go after the violators.
Banzon said they will especially monitor movement in the interiors of the city’s 30 barangays where most of the quarantine violators are apprehended.
Their most common violations include disregard of the curfew hours and failure to wear face masks.
READ: Lapu-Lapu City police chief: 197 caught violating health protocols
/ dcb
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