The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) apprehended 23 violators of health measures during the conduct of an operation dubbed “Oplan Magdalena'' at restobars in Quezon City on August 27.
During the operation, 13 females and 11 males were arrested by combined operatives of the District Special Operations Unit (DSOU), District Women and Children Concern Section (DWCCS), and Kamuning Police Station (PS 10) for violating the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) minimum health protocols.
The lawmen were accompanied by the inspecting team of Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD), and representatives of Social Services and Development Department (SSDD) of Quezon City.
The violators were issued Ordinance Violation Receipts (OVRs) and were advised to settle their fines at the Public Order and Safety (DPOS) of Quezon City.
According to the report, the joint operating and inspecting team went to the Up and Beyond Resto Bar at 184 Kojak Bldg., Tomas Morato, Brgy. Sacred Heart in Quezon City at around 10:10 p.m. on Aug. 27.
The team saw several workers and guests drinking liquor inside the bar’s rooms, prompting them to issue OVRs to the management and customers of the establishment.
“The shutdown of the said resto bar and the issuance of OVR to 23 violators are clear manifestations na marami pa rin ang hindi sumusunod sa pinapatupad na ordinansa dito sa ating lungsod (that many still do not comply with the ordinance being enforced here in our city)," Quezon City Police District director Police Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra said.
The QCPD continuously conducts visitation, inspection, and monitoring of establishments to ensure compliance with minimum health protocols.
The police district also issues temporary closure orders against establishments violating city ordinances. Mayor Joy Belmonte warned the owners of resto-bars and nightclubs to follow the IATF guidelines or face penalties and closure of their establishments.
“Inilalagay niyo sa panganib ang buhay ng inyong mga customer at iba pang mga residente dahil ang pag-inom sa publiko ay isa sa mga rason sa pagtaas ng kaso ng COVID-19 sa ating lungsod (You are endangering the lives of your customers and other residents because drinking in public is one of the reasons for the increase in COVID-19 cases in our city),” she said.