CEBU CITY – The Cebu City police will strive to maintain lower crime volume despite the order of Mayor Edgardo Labella lifting the total liquor ban imposed since February last year, a police official on Friday said.
Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) deputy chief for operations Lt. Col. Wilbert Parilla said in a press briefing that sustaining the gains in crime volume management during the strict community quarantine to curb cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) remains a challenge.
“There was really a decrease in crime volume. Considering that Cebu City has a little over a million in population, including visitors, and yet our stations recorded only an average of 15 incidents per week,” Parilla said in Cebuano, adding that there were instances wherein a station recorded no single incident in a day when the cops seriously implemented the liquor ban.
The police official noted lower criminal incidents during the liquor ban.
On Thursday, the city government released Executive Order (EO) No. 130 signed by Labella, lifting EO 117 that banned sales of liquor in bars and restaurants.
The mayor said the EO 130, which took effect on Thursday, only allows the residents to buy liquor from establishments but they need to consume it inside their homes.
The EO also allows bars and restaurants to serve beer and wines, with a condition to limit their capacity at 50 percent at any given time.
Establishments serving liquor while offering live entertainment should secure a permit from the Emergency Operations Center in order to ensure that minimum health standards such as wearing of mask and physical distancing would be imposed.
The EO also prohibits serving of liquor during curfew hours. In this city, the curfew begins at 11 p.m. and ends at 5 a.m.
The CCPO personnel, along with the Cebu City Hall’s Business Permit and Licensing Office, City Environmental and Sanitation Environmental Enforcement Team and Prevention, Restoration, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) personnel, will conduct inspection of establishments serving liquor.
Parilla said both establishments and customers who will get caught violating regulations in place will be meted with appropriate sanctions under the existing ordinances. (PNA)