Caloocan resort owners charged over MECQ ‘pool party’

MANILA – Charges have been filed against the owners of the resort in Caloocan City that was found operating amid the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Thursday.

In a Laging Handa briefing, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said charges for violation of Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act and violation of City Ordinance 0863 (Physical Distancing) have been filed against Gubat sa Cuidad resort president Rodolfo de Guzman, general manager Aleli de Guzman and eight other members of the resort’s management before the City Prosecutor’s Office.

Malaya also confirmed that the DILG issued a show-cause order (SCO) to Barangay 171 chairperson Romeo Rivera for the mass gathering incident.

“Kami rin po sa DILG, through Usec. Martin Dino ay nakapagpalabas na ng isang SCO laban kay Kapitan Rivera at pinagpapaliwanag din po natin siya kung bakit nagkaroon ng ganung mass gathering sa kanyang nasasakupan at kung hindi mo makakapagpaliwanag ng maayos ang ating barangay captain ay magsasampa rin po kami ng kaukulang kaso sa (We, at the DILG, through Usec. Martin Dino, have issued an SCO against chairperson Rivera and we are asking him to explain why such a mass gathering occurred in his area of responsibility. If he fails to explain clearly why it happened, we will also file a case against him before the) Office of the Ombudsman,” he said.

Rivera is now facing an administrative case for gross neglect of duty and acts prejudicial to the best interest of the service before the City Council.

Malaya, meanwhile, said if the resort owner fails to surface, prosecutors will decide on the case without taking his side which means the case can be elevated to the court which may order his arrest.

As for contact tracing efforts, he said authorities are having difficulties in tracing the resort’s guests due to the incomplete information on the resort’s guest log book.

“Lumalabas po na 496 yung guest stubs na in-issue nila at hindi naman po natin alam kung lahat po talaga ng taong pumunta doon ay nag fill up ng guest stubs at doon po sa 496 na yun, 232 ang merong cellphone number ngunit hindi naman po makontak ang lahat ng cellphone numbers na ito (It appears there were 496 guest stubs issued and we don’t know whether all these people filled up guest stubs and out of those 496, only 232 have cellphone numbers but not all of these numbers can be reached),” Malaya added.

He said they were able to contact only 108 guests and 72 of whom have so far underwent antigen testing.

The resort went viral over the weekend after photos of people swarming in their pools circulated online.

Under MECQ, the operation of swimming pools, and even outdoor and indoor tourist attractions are prohibited.