Four bars, coffee shops in Oton shuttered over protocol breach

By Jennifer P. Rendon

After Iloilo City, authorities in nearby Oton town zeroed in on establishments for violating COVID-19 safety protocols.

On Tuesday, four business establishments located at C1 Road at Barangay Pakiad, Oton were shut down.

Members of Oton Police Station and personnel of the Licensing Office and Traffic Management Task Force of the Oton local government implemented the closure order against Highstreet Kafe, El Chapo Garage Grill, HighStreet Kafe Inc., and a disco bar.

The closure was relative to the establishments’ breach of Executive Order No. 646-A issued by Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.

The order extended EO 646, Series of 2021 or “An Order For Intensified Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, and Reintegration Under Covid-19 Alert Level 2 and to Implement a Socioeconomic Recovery Plan in the Province of Iloilo.”

The establishments also reportedly violated Oton’s Executive Order No. 220, Series of 2021.

It was gathered that owners of the closed business establishments might hold a dialogue with the municipal government.

Reports cited that the establishments have apparently operated beyond 9 p.m., the start of the curfew hours in Iloilo province. Some also failed to implement social distancing on customers.

A day before this, the Iloilo City government ordered the closure of 10 bars and restobars inside Lanai Grill Compound at Smallville Complex in Mandurriao district.

The closure was due to their violation of Executive Orders No.2021-137 & 137-A, Regulation Ordinance No. 2007-016, and other orders.