The 24-hour liquor ban will remain in Davao City even if the general community quarantine (GCQ) will be extended until June 15.
Davao City was included in the highly urbanized cities that will be placed under GCQ based on Resolution No. 40 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. All the other local government units in Davao Region, meanwhile, will be under the modified GCQ.
In Mindanao, only Davao City and Zamboanga City are classified as moderate-risk. The recommendation to extend the GCQ in these areas will continue provided that “similar risk classification prevails on May 31.”
Mayor Sara Duterte said in her radio program yesterday that she was not inclined to lift the liquor ban in the city.
“Unfortunately, no. It’s better for your liver and your lives will be extended by two months,” she said.
Duterte said she would have been willing to listen if Davaoeños were more self-discipline and practiced social distancing. But based on the patient history of positive COVID-19 patients, some of them confessed to drinking with others.
“We have some cases in Agdao that tested positive and based on their patient history, they drank on these dates. And we again traced the people they were drinking with because they needed to be screened, quarantined, and tested,” she said.
The liquor ban took effect on April 6, based on Executive Order No. 23-A, the guideline for the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). The EO supplements and amends the guidelines previously stated guidelines on Executive Order No. 20 issued last April 2, declaring the city under ECQ.
The order was an amendment to the previously issued Executive Order No. 14 last March 19, prohibiting the buying and selling of liquor from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.
“We need to reflect on our … adoption of the 24-hour liquor ban from the RTF order for the duration of the ECQ,” the order read.
The City Council already passed the ordinance that imposed fines on both the liquor ban and curfew violation.
For the curfew, the violator will pay a fine of P3,000 for the first offense and P5,000 or imprisonment of not more than a year for succeeding offenses. “Provided, that if the offender is a minor, the laws and regulations of the Philippines concerning minors shall apply, but the parent or guardian of such minor shall pay the above fine,” it said.
Violators of the liquor ban will face a fine of P3,000 for the first offense and P5,000 or imprisonment of not more than a year for succeeding offenses.
