The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will be filing criminal charges against Gwyneth Anne Chua, the controversial 'Poblacion Gril' who skipped the mandatory quarantine for returning Filipinos from abroad, and eight other people for violations of the government's health protocols.
CIDG director Police Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro said the parents of Chua will be included in the charge sheet after the investigation they conducted revealed that it was her father who fetched her at the Berjaya Makati hotel a few minutes after she arrived on December 22 and it was her mother who transported her back to the hotel at around 9 p.n. on December 25.
"Several other personnel of the hotel quarantine facility will also be charged," said Ferro.
The CIDG was instructed by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to conduct investigation and initiate case build-up after it was reported that Chua skipped the mandatory quarantine and allegedly even bragged of her "connections" when asked why she was able to skip the protocol.
Chua later tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19, the result was released on December 26. As a result of her alleged 'misbehavior', at least 15 people were reportedly infected, including some of her friends and staff of the bar and restaurant where she was seen.
Chua arrived from the United States on December 22 and was supposed to be quarantined at the Berjaya Hotel in Makati City. She was then seen dining and attending a party with friends in Poblacion Makati on Dec. 23.
Ferro said the presence of Chua at the Kampai Bar and at the Mijo Comfort Food were established thorough witnesses and CCTV (closed-circuit television) footages.
The official said that as a returning Filipino from abroad, Chua is obliged to follow the health protocol as mandated by the Inter-Agency task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
"Her action of leaving the quarantine facility and disregarding the quarantine procedure violated Rule XI Section 1 (g) (iii), (iv) of the IRR of R.A. 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act)," a statement from the CIDG read.
Ferro, however, said that they did not find sufficient pieces of evidence to include Chua's friends who dined and partied with her in the charge sheet.
"However, the CIDG recommends and encourages the said individuals to file a complaint before CIDG for further referral to the prosecutors office," said Ferro.
Currently, Chua in an isolation facility in Metro Manila.
"The investigators of CIDG were effective in the collection of evidence due to the cooperation of the management of the establishments involved, several concerned and responsible citizens who came forward to help in the investigation, and the availability of the CCTV footages that allowed us to corroborate testimonies of witnesses and establish facts of the case," said Ferro.
“Let this be a lesson for each and every one of our fellow Filipinos. The pandemic is still at bay and we still need to be cautions in our actions. This is proof that the procedures and policies set by the IATF, especially on quarantine and isolation is vital for securing the welfare and wellness of the people. And everyone must adhere to the established protocols," he added.