Hotel in rape-slay incident in the red over possible quarantine violation

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has issued a show cause order for a high-end hotel in Makati City calling on the management to explain possible violations related to its accreditation in light of the alleged January 1 rape-slay case in one of its rooms involving a flight attendant. 
 
In the show cause order addressed to Richard Reazon, general manager of City Garden Grand Hotel, DOT-National Capital Region (NCR) Woodrow Maquiling Jr. said reports reached their office that the death of Philippine Airlines flight attendant allegedly occurred during a party in the establishment on New Year’s eve. 
 
“We understand based on reports that several individuals have checked-in or spent the evening in one of your rooms on the said date,” Maquiling said. 
 
Though rated as a 4-star accommodation establishment (AE), Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat told the Manila Bulletin that the hotel is not included in the list of establishments that can cater staycation guests. It is still operating as a quarantine facility up to now. 
 
Maquiling also noted that under DOT Administrative Order No. 2020-002-C, an accommodation establishment in areas under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ), which includes Metro Manila, that is concurrently being used as a quarantine facility, may not provide accommodation for leisure purposes. 
 
“Permitted guests are only those that fall under the enumeration in Section 24 thereof, subject to the allowable room occupancy under DOT Memorandum Circular No. 2020-002-B. On the other hand, DOT Administrative Order No. 2020-006-C provides that hotels accommodating guests for staycation purposes must not be concurrently used as a quarantine or isolation facility,” he said. 
 
The show cause order was issued Tuesday, January 5, a day after the police reported the alleged rape-slay of 23-year-old flight attendant Christine Angelica Dacera and several suspects have already taken into police custody. 
 
“Based on the foregoing and in the interest of due process, you are hereby directed to submit to this office, within three days from receipt of this Show Cause Order, a written explanation why your DOT accreditation should not be suspended or revoked for violation of the foregoing issuances,” the director concluded.
 
Puyat had earlier cautioned DOT-accredited hotels currently used as quarantine hotels to refrain from accepting guests for staycation purposes.
 
Just last week, the DOT caught erring quarantine hotels even outside Metro Manila which have also brazenly admitted guests for leisure purposes, and issued an immediate warning. 
 
The tourism chief said the DOT is on heightened alert as the new COVID-19 variant poses a new threat and will have zero tolerance for even the slightest violation of health protocols.
 
"Lives are on the line and our economic recovery depends on everybody being responsible,” she stressed.
 
As of December 17, 15 AEs in NCR have been issued Certificates of Authority to Operate for Staycation (CAOS), which include Grand Hyatt Hotel, Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Okada Manila Hotel, Shangri-La at the Fort, Nobu Hotel, Joy Nostalg Hotel and Suites Manila, EDSA Shangri-La Manila, Solaire Resort, Hyatt Regency City of Dreams, Nuwa Hotel City of Dreams, The Peninsula Manila, Aruga by Rockwell, Sheraton Manila Hotel, Hilton Manila, and Hotel Okura Manila.