BY IME SORNITO and RUBY SILUBRICO
ILOILO – Like in Iloilo City, there is no more liquor ban in Iloilo province, too.
“Wala na kita naga-impose sang liquor ban sa modified general community quarantine (MGCQ),” said Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
The province transitioned to MGCQ yesterday just like Iloilo City from two weeks of GCQ.
Defensor said he was leaving it to local government units to regulate the dispensing of liquor, pointing out that they have local ordinances for it.
“Sa mga restaurants and bars puede na makainum. Pero in public places like roads, may mga municipalities with ordinances nga indi puede mag-inum sa higad sa dalan,” said Defensor.
There was no mention of the liquor ban or its regulation in Defensor’s Executive Order (EO) No. 128, Series of 2020 issued on May 31 imposing MGCQ. But the governor yesterday verbally encouraged Ilonggos to be responsible drinkers.
His previous EO No. 118 imposing GCQ had a specific provision on the liquor ban. Section 14 read: “The selling, furnishing, offering, buying, serving, dispensing and transporting of alcoholic beverages such as whisky, brandy, gin, vodka, rum, cocktail, wine, champagne, beer, and such other intoxicating drinks shall be prohibited.”
Related to this, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) arrested a total of 60 persons for violating the liquor ban as part of the community quarantine against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019.
Of these 60 violators, five were members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Fifty-one of the liquor ban violators were caught last month and nine in April, data from the IPPO showed.
The districts with the most number of arrested violators were the 5th District (19), 3rd District (13) and 4th District (11).
“Many violators were arrested in May. Ewan ko kung bakit transport pa sila nang transport ng alak kahit alam nila na may liquor ban, at alam nila na mahigpit tayo sa checkpoints,” said IPPO director, Police Colonel Paul Kenneth Lucas.
Most violators were civilians and businessmen. But five police officers were caught, too.
Police Staff Sergeant Joe Marc Ebon of Barangay Cubay, San Dionisio, Iloilo was arrested on May 21 in Barangay Velasco, Lemery, Iloilo.
On May 20, Police Staff Sergeant Jose Digcabo-on was arrested in Barangay Nanga, Guimbal town.
On that day, too, Police Staff Sergeant Roy Panaguiton of Sebaste, Antique police station was caught; Police Corporal Arnie Luminario of Molo police station in Iloilo City; and Police Staff Sergeant Paul Pingoy who was assigned at the intelligence division of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
All five policemen were reassigned to the PRO-6’s Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit while under investigation.
They were charged with violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code and violation of Republic Act 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act) in relation to Defensor’s EO No. 118 imposing community quarantine and liquor ban./PN
