Police investigate Camotes beach party

NATIONAL POLICE Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar has ordered an investigation into a beach party in Camotes Island off Cebu province and attended by some politicians.

Eleazar said he ordered the provincial police to look into the beach party which was held on July 10, but was only reported recently to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

He said the order to investigate the event came from Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.

“We will abide by the directive of our SILG Secretary Eduardo Año to investigate the said gathering which may have violated minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols and could have been a super spreader event. I am directing the local police to closely look into the evidence and coordinate with the LGU regarding the incident,” he said.

Videos of the beach party showed guests completely disregarded the minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols. It was unknown how many of those who attended the party have Covid-19 or had close contacts with someone infected with the deadly respiratory virus.

Eleazar reminded the public that because of the Covid-19 pandemic, minimum health standards must strictly be observed and mass gatherings or potential super spreader events are prohibited. He also encouraged the public to continue reporting to authorities all violations of minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols.

“Ang insidenteng ito ay isinumbong lang ng isang concerned citizen. We urge the public to continue reporting to authorities incidents where minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols are violated,” Eleazar said, adding that even politicians are not exempted from the pandemic restrictions.

Año and Eleazar did not identify the politicians who attended the beach party, but other reports said as many as 700 people were at the event. (Cebu Examiner)