Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 5) – The Makati regional trial court imposed a P20,000 fine on Gwyneth Anne Chua, known as the Poblacion Girl, after she pleaded guilty for violating quarantine protocols amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in 2021.
According to the Makati court, Chua violated Section 9 of RA 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. It states that “non-cooperation of persons and entities that should report and/or respond to notifiable diseases or health events of public concern” is contrary to law.
During the holiday season last year, Chua, a returning overseas Filipino from the United States, “escaped” hotel confinement for her mandatory quarantine to dine with acquaintances at Kampai Bar and Mijo Comfort Food in Makati City.
Chua then tested positive for COVID-19 while 15 of her close contacts from the dinner also contracted the virus.
In a separate criminal case, Esteban Gatbonton, the security guard who allegedly aided Chua to skip quarantine, pleaded not guilty against the charge, but his trial will resume.
The motion of Gatbonton’s camp to quash information and the CCTV recordings that showed his supposed overt acts were denied for lack of merit.
In May, the Makati City Prosecution Office found probable cause to charge Chua for violating mandatory quarantine protocols.
