Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday, Jan. 9, agreed with the government’s decision to suspend and file charges against hotels involved in the COVID-19 quarantine breach.
This came amid reports that individuals, particularly Gwyneth Chua, who has been informally referred to as 'Poblacion Girl', reportedly left her designated quarantine hotel, Berjaya Hotel in Makati, to attend a party in nearby Brgy. Poblacion.
Robredo lamented the fact that this breach in protocol has been happening even before the news about Chua went viral. Another returning Filipino from the United States was found to have left her quarantine facility.
“Kaya tayo may (The reason why we have) quarantine protocols dahil gusto nga nating ma-contain. Kaya dapat talaga sinusunod ito. ‘Yung hindi ko lang mainitindihan kung bakit nalulusutan (because we want to contain it. That’s why we need to follow this. What I cannot understand is why there’s a breach),” the Vice President asked.
READ: Berjaya Hotel suspended, fined over 'Poblacion Girl' quarantine breach
Her own daughters who were also subjected to quarantine protocols told her that they don’t even have the keys to their room and that they are not even allowed in the hotel’s corridors.
The aspiring president then asked if there’s no standard that quarantine hotels follow.
“So ang tanong ko, bakit siya nangyayari? And pag nangyari siya, kailangan talagang i-penalize ‘yung hotel. Kasi ano ‘to eh, the mere fact na ina-accredit kayo, the mere fact na ina-accredit kayo ng DOT, partner kayo ng pamahalaan (The question is, why is it happening? And once it happens, the hotel needs to be penalized. Because this is, the mere fact that you were accredited, you were accredited by the DOT, you are the government’s partner),” she said.
Individuals in quarantine facilities are not supposed to leave the said facilities until they have tested negative in their RT-PCR tests.
The DOT earlier suspended Berjaya Hotel’s accreditation and permit. The Makati City government also closed the hotel.
READ: Makati LGU to file raps vs. hotel over 'Poblacion Girl' quarantine breach
Charges will reportedly be filed against Chua, her family, and the other returning overseas Filipino who jumped quarantine protocols.