The management of Gubat sa Ciudad resort in Barangay 171, Caloocan City is facing complaints before the city prosecutor’s office for its unauthorized operation on Mother’s Day, May 9, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rodolfo de Guzman Jr., president of Gubat sa Ciudad Inc.; Aleli Mansano de Guzman, general manager; and eight other employees are facing complaints for violation of the national government’s Omnibus Guidelines against COVID-19 in relation to Republic Act. 11332 (Law on Reporting Communicable Diseases) and of City Ordinance No. 0683 S. 2020 (Social Distancing Ordinance).
The complaints were filed Wednesday by Dr. Evelyn Cuevas, Caloocan City health officer, and lawyer Emmanuel Emilio Vergara, Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) head.
In their complaints, Cuevas and Vergara said the respondents committed the following acts: “non-cooperation of the person or entities affected by a notifiable disease or a health event of public concern” and “violation of community quarantine or stay-at-home order or directive issued by public health authorities.”
They also said the respondents failed to implement the Social Distancing Ordinance, which mandates that a distancing of at least one meter or three feet radius from one person to another shall be strictly observed inside and outside of business establishments.
This came after around 500 individuals, including senior citizens and minors, were accommodated in the resort on Mother’s Day. Photos on social media showed some were also swimming without physical distancing.
“Clearly, respondents committed violations by operating the resort during MECQ (Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine) for causing and allowing illegal mass gathering therein, and for failing to enforce social distancing rules, among others,” the complainants said.
“The acts of respondents have also caused serious harm and damage not only to the community and to the city but also to the concerted, over-all efforts of the government to effectively manage and stamp out the COVID-19 pandemic,” they added.