RETURNING Overseas Filipino Gwyneth Anne Chua and eight others will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act 11332 and breaching quarantine protocols last week leading to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos said on Tuesday.

Apart from Chua, to be charged are her father and mother and several personnel of the Berjaya Makati Hotel who allowed the former to leave the hotel-quarantine facility last December 22, said PNP-CIDG director, Major General Albert Ignatius D. Ferro.

“As for the individuals who were in the company of Gwyneth Anne Chua on the night of December 23, 2021 and were allegedly infected by the virus, CIDG did not find sufficient evidence to charge them with any offense in relation to the violations committed by Ms. Chua,” the official said.

However, the PNP-CIDG director encourages them to file a complaint against Chua before their office for further referral to the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office.

The CIDG National Capital Region Field Unit headed by Colonel Randy Glenn F. Silvio investigated the Chua case and managed to establish the fact relative to the quarantine breach.

Prior to the CIDG probe, it was initially reported that Chua arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 from the United States on the evening of December 22, 2021 and was supposed to be quarantined at Berjaya Hotel located at 7835 Makati Avenue corner Eduque Street in Poblacion, Makati City.

The following evening, reports said she was allegedly seen dining with several acquaintances at Kampai Bar & at Mijo Comfort Food, both located at Poblacion, Makati City after allegedly, “escaping” from the hotel confinement.

After a careful investigation of the case, the CIDG-NCRFU established the following facts:

Chua arrived at the Berjaya Hotel at 11:23 p.m. last December 22 but 17 minutes later, she was fetched from the same hotel by her own father and went to their Caloocan City resident on board an SUV.

CIDG-NCRFU investigators confirmed the presence of Chua in one of the restaurants on the night of December 23, 2021 through CCTV footages and witnesses’ accounts. Chua stayed at the Kampai Bar until 2 in the morning.

Around 9 p.m. last Christmas Day, Chua returned to the hotel assisted by her mother.

The CIDG-NCRFU concluded that Chua, being a Returning Filipino Overseas (RFO) is obliged to follow the health protocols being imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the Department of Health (DOH).

Thus, her action of leaving the quarantine facility and disregarding the quarantine procedure violated Rule XI Section 1 (g) (iii), (iv) of the IRR of RA 11332 otherwise known as the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.

Chua is currently being isolated inside a Manila-based small hotel-turned quarantine facility after an RT-PCR test showed she was positive for COVID-19 last December 26.

“The investigators of CIDG were effective in the collection of evidence due to the cooperation of the management of the establishments involved, several concerned and responsible citizens who came forward to help in the investigation, and the availability of the CCTV footages that allowed us to corroborate testimonies of witnesses and establish facts of the case,” Ferro said.

The PNP-CIDG director called on his investigators to maintain their vigilance too amid the pandemic.

“Let this be a lesson for each and every one of our fellow Filipinos. The pandemic is still at bay and we still need to be cautions in our actions. This is proof that the procedures and policies set by the IATF, especially on quarantine and isolation is vital for securing the welfare and wellness of the people. And everyone must adhere to the established protocols,” he said.

RA 11332 carries the penalty of a fine of not less than P20,000 but not more than P50,000 or imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than six months or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court.

PNP-CIDG investigators have taken the statement of several witnesses including hotel staff and bar employees who confirmed seeing Chua on those two days before she tested positive for COVID-19.

Chua is yet to give her official statement to CIDG investigators who were tasked by Gen. Carlos and Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año to file the charges against her and company.

Año has also ordered the police to continue inspecting hotel-quarantine facilities and make a proper accounting of persons under quarantine.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, Major Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr. said they are ready to provide additional security in hotel-quarantine facilities if needed to avoid a repletion of the Makati incident in which over a dozen fellow partygoers and bar staff contacted the virus along with Chua.