MANILA – Prosecutors on Thursday found probable cause to charge party girl and social media influencer, Gwyneth Anne Chua, for violating last December the country’s quarantine rules in place to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic following her return from the United States.
Chua has gained the moniker “Poblacion Girl” after she allegedly partied in Barangay Poblacion in Makati City while she was supposed to be in a hotel quarantine facility days before and after Christmas last year.
She will be charged for violation of Section 9 of Republic Act No. 11332, also known as the “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act” for defying mandatory quarantine rules, the City Prosecutor of Makati said in a statement quoting a resolution dated April 29.
Also named in the prosecution’s office’s resolution was Esteban Gatbonton, a security guard of Berjaya Hotel, who allegedly assisted Chua from escaping detention.
Prosecutors, however, dismissed criminal charges by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) against Chua’s parents, Allan and Gemma, due to lack of evidence.
The parents fetched their daughter from the hotel on December 22, hours after Gwyneth’s arrival in Manila from the US, and accompanied her back to the hotel on December 25.
Gwyneth’s boyfriend, Rio Atienza, who was with her when she was photographed cavorting with friends on December 23, was also cleared of criminal charges.
Makati prosecutors also dropped similar charges against hotel workers, except for the security personnel, citing that evidence failed to show they knowingly allowed Gwyneth to leave the hotel premises.
Gwyneth later tested positive for Covid-19 after returning to the hotel on December 26 last year. (PNA)
