Three persons tagged in pool party deny attendance

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Three persons who were allegedly tagged in the controversial pool party have denied attending the party.

Police Major Francisco Paguia, Iloilo City Police Station 1 commander, confirmed that the three persons appeared at his office Friday afternoon to disprove reports of their attendance.

The three were allegedly part of the 12 persons who held a private party organized by Wanderpool Bar located at the Castle Hotel at Bonifacio Drive, City Proper, Iloilo City.

But who leaked their names ahead of the issuance of the citation ticket or the filing of a case?

“I did not make public the list. I submitted a report to the Iloilo City Legal Office but I did not release their names publicly,” Paguia said.

Even Police Colonel Eric Dampal, Iloilo City police chief, also denied releasing the names of any of the 12 persons.

But Dampal said they are mulling to charge persons who actually participated in the party for violation of Republic Act 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act).

The partygoers could also be fined P500 each for violation of Regulation Ordinance No. 2020-066 (An Ordinance Implementing Physical Distancing as a Response Measure to Prevent the spread and/or local transmission of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease (COVID-19) In Iloilo City).

It was also reported on Friday that the Iloilo City Business Permit and Licensing Office has revoked the business permit of Wanderpool Bar for alleged violation of quarantine protocols.

On Thursday, Paguia confirmed that they already identified 12 persons who allegedly participated in the pool party event that happened June 6 and was deemed to have violated the quarantine protocol.

From the initial list, he said most of them appeared to not be children of prominent families and anak-mayaman or rich kids, as earlier reported.