Cebu City dad pushes ‘Kingston Ralph Ordinance’

Local

A PROPOSED Cebu City ordinance seeks to hold alcohol-serving establishments liable if they continue serving visibly intoxicated patrons.

The measure would impose administrative sanctions, and potentially criminal penalties, if those patrons later cause injury, death, or property damage.

Councilor Harold Kendrick Go has floated the measure, tentatively titled the “Kingston Ralph Ordinance,” in response to concerns over drunk driving and alcohol-related incidents in the city.

The draft outlines clearer operational guidelines for liquor-serving businesses and defines penalties for violations. Under the proposal, owners, managers, bartenders, servers, or other employees who continue serving visibly intoxicated individuals may face sanctions if harm occurs within a specified period after the person leaves the premises.

Proposed penalties include fines, suspension or revocation of liquor permits, and possible closure for repeat offenses.

In an interview on Friday, Feb. 13, Go said the measure draws inspiration from United States laws that impose liability on establishments that overserve intoxicated patrons.

“This ordinance is patterned to US law wherein the bartender will go to jail if ever the bartender will continue to serve a person who is also intoxicated,” Go said.

He clarified that the proposal does not diminish liability on individuals who commit crimes while intoxicated.

“Actually, from the initial comments that I saw, there’s positives and negatives. But this is not about diverting the penalty or charges to the person accused, that doesn’t mean wala nato siya, he will still be held liable in the current law,” Go said.

“With that considering na silay responsibility they should bear in mind that there will now be repercussions if they continue to do it because not only kana nga tawo is intoxicated, he is a threat to others and also a threat to himself. That’s the gist of the draft ordinance.”

Go, who chairs the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, said the proposal has yet to be formally filed with the City Council’s secretariat. He posted the draft online to solicit feedback from the public.

“I posted it online ahead kay ang problema man gud namo nga nakita sa council if naa miy ordinance na ipasulod, inig abot sa hearing walay manunga… So I posted this on social media because I want it to be inclusive, good or bad. I want better suggestions that will improve this ordinance or if you have better suggestions then we will be able to consider it,” he said.

“We haven’t filed it yet… This is not final, daghan pa ta og aspect i-review unya mga comments sa public, we will consider them, from different sectors.”

Asked about feasibility, Go said enforcement will be key.

“It will depend on the enforcers unsaon pag implement kay we have a lot of ordinances same anang driving under influence,” he said.

On criticism that the move could be political grandstanding, Go responded: “It’s not about pagsakay sa issue but it’s about responding to the needs because you can also say if wala sad tay himuon, muingon nga walay gibuhat. If tagaan og attention, gisakyan ang issue. Asa man ta ani? So ako, I will do what is right and good for the Cebuanos. And ultimately beneficial for the youth.”

Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, in a press conference on Friday, February 13, confirmed that the city is consolidating proposals to tighten local enforcement mechanisms.

“We are drafting an ordinance, I asked Councilors Paul Labra, Harold Go and some lawyers to tighten up… To reduce the chances of having something like this happen again,” Osmeña said, adding that they are reviewing perceived gaps in the implementation of national laws.

“The LTO, the PNP has failed in their mandate to equip themselves to oversee all these rules and all existing laws basically… existing laws under the Revised Penal Code and we are going to insist that they are implemented,” he said.

Among the proposals being considered are requiring bars to install CCTV cameras, mandating visible signage against serving intoxicated customers, penalizing establishments that clearly continue to serve drunk patrons, and directing police to intervene when heavily intoxicated individuals attempt to drive home.

Osmeña also said the city is studying a possible cutoff for liquor service after midnight and exploring the creation of a centralized communication system that would integrate enforcement of the Anti-Noise Ordinance, drunk driving, and public intoxication complaints.

“You will call a number and we will respond,” he said.

He added that he would recommend the purchase of additional breath analyzers to strengthen enforcement, even suggesting expedited procurement.

The proposal comes days after a fatal hit-and-run on Feb. 8, near the entrance of Maria Luisa Subdivision in Barangay Banilad claimed the life of Kingston Ralph Cheng, founder of The Mill Lifestyle Cafe at Ayala Center Cebu.(TGP)