By Jel Santos
Celebrity host KC Montero and his wife were arrested in a bar in Makati City Sunday night along with 119 others for violating social distancing.
(Makati Police)
Major Gideon Ines Jr., Makati Police Investigation Unit chief, said they also arrested one of the bar owners identified as Felix Maramba.
Around 6 p.m., a team of policemen raided the Skye Bar located at the 18th floor of M1 Tower in Salcedo Village, Makati.
This was after Makati Police received a tip that the bar and its customers were violating social distancing while still under general community quarantine to stop the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“We also received videos showing that they were violating social distancing, and we went there, it was really crowded some of them are drinking,” Ines said.
“Mr. Montero said he did not know that bars are not yet allowed to operate. He said that they were just at the bar to dine,” the Makati Police Investigation Unit chief said.
Under GCQ, bars are still not allowed to operate. To recall, bars were the first to be closed at the start of the implementation of the community quarantine as they are deemed inessential establishments.
The arrested 121 individuals were all brought to the Makati Police Headquarters and underwent booking procedures.
“Some of the people we apprehended were foreigners, and some are locals,” he said.
The Investigation chief said the individuals claimed that they were just invited by the owner for the re-opening of the bar.
Ines reminded the public that there is no cure for COVID-19 yet, and that bars are not yet allowed by the government to operate.
“Please do not be hard-headed, cooperate with authorities as this disease has no cure yet. We still urge everybody to stay at home if you have nothing important to do outside your homes,” he appealed.
Montero, his wife, and the other individuals are now detained at the Makati Police Headquarters.