Berjaya Hotel, iginiit na walang legal na basehan ang closure order
Iginiit ng Berjaya Hotel na walang legal na basehan ang closure order ng pamahalaang lungsod ng Makati kasunod ng inilabas na suspension order ng Department of Tourism (DOT).
Kasunod ito ng ginawang pagtakas sa quarantine facility ni Gwyneth Chua alyas ‘Poblacion girl’ na nagpositibo sa COVID-19.
“The order by the Makati City Hall closing down Berjaya Makati Hotel’s operations based on the suspension order issued by the Department of Tourism is without legal basis,” saad nito.
Unang ipinunto na hindi pa pinal ang kautusan ng DOT dahil maari pa aniya silang makaapela sa ibinigay na 15 araw na palugit. Dahil dito, hindi pa epektibo ang suspensyon.
“Secondly, there is no law that penalizes a hotel for not reporting a guest who jumps quarantine. There is nothing in R.A. 13322 that is applicable to the hotel,” giit pa nito.
Sinabi rin ng pamunuan ng hotel na kailangang masunod ang due process at payagan muna silang makapagpaliwanag bago patawan ng parusa.
“On the operations level, if we close down the hotel immediately, where do we send the 150 or so quarantine guests we have at the moment?,” tanong nito.
Nagsisilbi anila ng strategic purpose ang bawat quarantine hotel, lalo na sa kakulangan ng mga kwarto, sa gitna ng paglaban sa COVID-19 pandemic.
“To close down a quarantine hotel for no legal reason is to close down a hospital just when it is helping to win the war,” sabi ng pamunuan ng hotel.
Dagdag nito, “There is no benefit to be gained by such regulatory posturing when national interest and public health are on the line.”
Tatlong buwang suspendido ang operasyon ng Berjaya, ayon sa Makati City Law Department.
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