CCPO monitoring restobars for compliance with temporary closure

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office is monitoring all restobars here to make sure that they comply with the order to temporary close pending the issuance of  new guidelines for their reopening.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office,  said they already started their regular monitoring of all restobars on the same day he announced that liquor ban is still in effect pending the issuance of  new guidelines.

READ: CCPO: Liquor ban not lifted yet

“Every night, mag monitor gihapon ta kay tanang mga madakpan nato nga mahibaw an nato nga nag serve ug nagpaconsume og liquor sa ilahang establishment, that would be minus sa ilang establishment. It can be nga instead of maka open na sila, ma extend na sila og something, one week ba nga madelay sila, or any,” Parilla said.

(Every night, we monitor them because those who will be caught serving and allowing customers to consume liquor in their establishment will be a setback for them. It could be that instead of having a chance to reopen, their closure will possibly be extended for a week or so.)

Pending the issuance of the new guidelines, Parilla said that the personnel of the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) are currently drafting measures to ease up the process of providing clearances to the restobar owners.

Parilla added that there is no timeframe set for these establishments to reopen. The purpose for this, he said, is to finalize all the issues with the guidelines first so that bars would open continuously.

“The purpose for that is kanang to make sure nga ang pag open sa liquor, safe na ba. Dili na open, close, open. Ang gusto sa EOC kay musunod gyud sa protocol para ma prevent nga mu surge para continuous na ang pag open sa bars,” he added.

(The purpose for this is to make sure that the opening of [bars] or [allowing service of ] liquor will be safe. Not that they will keep on opening, closing then opening again.  EOC wants that they follow the protocols to avoid another surge to happen and also to let bars continuously open.)

The issues with the guidelines Parilla was referring to was the need for all employees to be fully vaccinated as one of the requirements needed for them to get their special permit to operate. A conflict is seen here since the Department of Labor and Employment does not require and mandate workers to be vaccinated.

Aside from that, employees also expressed concern that being vaccinated is against their respective beliefs and religions.

/bmjo