Oplan Bulabog nets 228 violators; erring establishments warned of suspension
Screengrabbed form CCPO live video on Oplan Bulabog on December 4, 2021.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Task Force apprehended 228 individuals in the Oplan Bulabog on Saturday dawn, December 4, 2021.
In the data released by the CCPO, at least 211 adults were apprehended while 17 minors were rescued during the operations. Most of the apprehended individuals were found in bars and resto-bars that remained open beyond the curfew.
At least 14 out of the 228 violators were also caught for violating other health protocols such as social distancing and not wearing face masks.
The CCPO earlier said that complacency might have been the reason for the continuous violation of the curfew protocols even when the curfew had been adjusted to 12 midnight already.
The Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) said that they were targetting around 10 habitual violating establishments in northern barangays of the city with the Oplan Bulabog on Saturday dawn.
BPLO head, Lawyer Jared Limquiaco, said that when they began the operations, they were not able to order the supsension of these 10 habitual violating establishments because seemingly these were tipped off shortly before the operation began, allowing them to close down before the curfew.
However, he warned that if these 10 establishments would be caught violating the curfew again in the coming days and weeks, they would be served suspension orders immediately.
He noted that these establishments had been issued show-cause orders multiple times already and the city government was giving them the last warning.
“Sila gyod unta atong target sa operations pero unfortunately murag kahibawo sila nga naay operations, wala mi nadakpan sa list nga habitual. Naa tay mga nadakpan laing establishments pero dili sila habitual,” said Limquiaco in a phone interview.
(They are supposed to be our target in the operations but unfortunately it seemed that they knew about our operations, we did not caught any of those in the habitual offenders list. We caught other establishments but these not habitual violators.)
Those who are not under the habitual violators list were given show-cause orders and they will be asked to explain their violations, and another chance to make things right.
As for the habitual violators, BPLO said they would be suspended and their permits would be confiscated until they undergo a seminar and commit to following the protocols.
On the third strike, they will be fined and their business permit will be revoked.
Limquiaco said that while the COVID-19 cases of the city was at an all time low, this was not a reason to violate the health protocols, curfew, and other measures set by the city to ensure that another surge would be kept at bay.
EOC deputy chief implementor, Councilor Joel Garganera, said that the city could not afford another surge after the deadly third surge last August 2021.
“Overall medyo kumpyansa na gyud ang mga tao kay hasta curfew dili naman mo respeto. We can’t afford another surge, our behavior today will shape the kind of Christmas and New Year we will celebrate. We want a safe and happy holidays and let us keep it that way, all the time,” he said.
(Overall, it seemed like the public are complacent because they even did not respect the curfew. We can’t afford another surge, our behavior today will shape the kind of Christmas and New Year we will celebrate. We want a safe and happy holidays and let us keep it that way, all the time.)
The EOC is urging the public to be more vigilant when in public even when they are vaccinated.
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