DOT suspends Berjaya Hotel over quarantine breach

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has suspended the accreditation of Berjaya Makati Hotel after a traveler, who later tested positive for COVID-19, skipped quarantine at their establishment and went to a party.

According to a tweet of GMA News’ Ian Cruz on Wednesday,  the DOT also revoked Berjaya’s permit as a multiple-use hotel for its failure to stop a guest from breaking quarantine rules.

Fine was also imposed against the hotel.

On December 23, 2021, Gwyneth Chua, a returning overseas Filipino from the United States, skipped hotel quarantine to attend a party and visit restaurants in Poblacion, Makati City.

On December 27, she tested positive for COVID-19. Her fellow party-goers and some patrons and staff of a restaurant later tested positive for the disease.

The DOT on Tuesday said that its probe into the Makati incident has been finished.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) lodged a complaint before the Makati Prosecutor's Office against Chua, her parents, five hotel personnel, and her boyfriend.

According to the CIDG, the complaint was for the violation of the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.

Under the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, returning Filipinos have to undergo quarantine upon arrival at a facility and test negative for COVID-19 prior to release from quarantine. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News