CEBU CITY – Criminal and administrative charges will be filed against a barangay captain and 13 other individuals over the controversial religious procession last Saturday night in Barangay Basak San Nicolas here, a police official said Monday.
Basak San Nicolas Norman Navarro will be among those who will be facing cases for failing to stop the public gathering which is prohibited while the city remains under enhanced community quarantine, according to Police Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, regional director of Police Regional Office Central Visayas.
The barangay is one of the 12 areas in the city considered as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hotspots.
In an interview last Sunday, Navarro said he permitted the event since he was told that only the image of Sto. Nino will be paraded around the barangay with no residents participating.
“I didn’t know that there was a street dancing took place afterwards,” said Navarro.
Navarro said a certain Nicholas Tabar organized the event.
Ferro said Navarro, other barangay officials and the event’s organizers violated Section 9 of the Republic Act 11332 or the Surveillance and Response to Notifiable Diseases, Epidemics, and Health Events of Public Health Concern.
The group also violated city ordinance that prohibits mass gatherings while the city is under ECQ, Ferro said.
“I can only surmise that the President was really (correct) on his comment that there are a lot of hard-headed people in Cebu,” said Ferro. (Calvin Cordova)
