Mayor Jerry Treñas ordered the temporary closure of resto bars in Iloilo City to prevent the further transmission of coronavirus.

The order took effect on Monday, Nov. 16, until the end of the month.

Treñas said the move was “in deference to the rules of the national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) [for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases].”

“We cannot police all bars in the city,” he lamented.

The mayor disclosed that he has received reports that numerous establishments in the city continued to serve alcoholic beverages to customers despite the prohibition of such.

Treñas has a standing order that prohibits the serving of liquor in the city, which is currently under general community quarantine (GCQ).

Earlier, the city government issued closure notices to 20 business establishments for defying the liquor ban.Angelique Amira Jabian/IMT