The Vices Regulation Unit and the Davao City Police Office have apprehended fewer violators of the liquor ban for the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year.
Based on the consolidated data of the VRU and the DCPO, 307 individuals were apprehended from January to March 2024. During the same period last year, 491 were apprehended.
VRU Head Hernando Q. Las, in an interview with Madayaw, said that the decrease in the number of apprehensions can be attributed to the increased awareness of Dabawenyos on the liquor ban.
“Ang mga tao nakabantay na sila and mostly ang madakpan namo taga gawas na (People are well aware and most of those apprehended are not residents of the city),” Las said.
He said that VRU enforcers conduct daily operations against violators of the Anti-smoking Ordinance, the Liquor Ban, and the Sobriety Ordinance. They also monitor establishments for their Business Permit. They also check the type of business if these are allowed to sell and serve liquors.
Las said that with the passage of the liquor ban ordinance amendment, they seek to strengthen the prohibition on the selling of liquor within 100 meters of schools. The ordinance also endeavors that the sellers of liquor should identify the buyers and ensure that they are not selling liquor to minors. These establishments may be made liable for fines and imprisonment for selling liquor to minors.
He said that early exposure to liquor is detrimental to the health of young people and they hope that with the ordinance, the number of young people
exposed early to liquor will also decrease. CIO
