NCRPO ready to provide security in hotels to enforce quarantine if needed

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Sunday it is prepared to give additional security in hotels if needed after a woman allegedly used her "connections" to waive her five-day quarantine at a hotel in Makati City.

In an interview over Super Radyo dzBB, NCRPO chief Police Major General Vicente Danao Jr. said hotels already have in-house security to ensure COVID-19 requirements are being followed.

"'Yung ibang hotel na quarantine as needed, pino-provide ng security pero kung 'di naman po kailangan kasi mayroon naman pong in house security," said Danao when asked if police can send more manpower in hotels to prevent breaching of quarantine.

But if hotels need more enforcers, Danao said they can send additional manpower "depending on the situation."

"Sa ngayon, wala pa (tayong tao doon) pero that will be depending on the situation as needed kung kinakailangan po, lalagyan natin ng tao," he said.

(We don't have police there but that will depend on the situation if needed. If needed, we can give them.)

Danao also asked the public to be disciplined and follow the COVID-19 safety protocols as the country's COVID-19 cases continue to increase again.

"'Yun ang ginagawa po natin dati katulad ng vaccination area pero ang key po talaga sana magkaroon tayo ng sariling disiplina... 'Di natin kaya na bantayan lahat," he said.

(That is what we were doing before at the vaccination area but the key here is for people to have discipline. We can't guard them all.)

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is now conducting an investigation into the circumstances involving a returning overseas Filipino who returned from United States but did not go through quarantine

"'Yung kanyang liability (Her liability) will depend on how grave the violation was committed," Danao said.

The Department of Tourism is also investigating Berjaya Makati Hotel which allowed the woman to forego her quarantine. The woman  was able to attend parties in Poblacion, Makati and tested positive for COVID-19.

READ: Where Filipino traveler went after skipping quarantine in Makati

The Berjaya Makati Hotel, meanwhile, on Saturday apologized for the incident, saying it was a "very serious breach" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the Berjaya Makati hotel management confirmed reports that a Filipino traveler from the United States did not undergo hotel quarantine and even attended a party in Makati.

The Berjaya Hotel said it was fully cooperating with all government agencies investigating the incident. —KG, GMA News