Muntinlupa City government shut down the golf course of the Alabang Country Club for holding a tournament in August amid quarantine restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jhomer Apresto on Super Radyo dzBB reported that the gold course was closed down for not following health and safety protocols.
According to the Muntinlupa government, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año wrote them a letter last week, citing reports that a golf tournament was held at the Alabang Country Club last month.
The local government then conducted an investigation and confirmed that the reports were true.
The Muntinlupa government did not indicate how long the golf course in Alabang Country Club would be closed.
In May, Año announced the government would allow golf courses in areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ) to resume their operations provided that safety protocols should be observed.
Metro Manila is still under GCQ until the end of October.
Año further disclosed that the national government would also allow senior golfers to play, provided that they do not pose any health risk.
He said senior golfers must fill-up a waiver specifying their health condition and that they know the risks.
Golf course in Alabang Country Club closed
Año said golfers must also proceed directly to the golf area if they intend to play.
Meanwhile, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla ordered last week the indefinite shut down of Sherwood Hills Golf Course in Trece Martires City after it allegedly held an “unauthorized tournament” amid community quarantine.
Remulla said in a Facebook post last week that a total of 91 Sherwood Hills Golf Club members conducted an unauthorized “tournament” in the guise of a “Member’s Day” event.
“The members tried to circumvent the rules by claiming that there were no trophies, awards, score cards nor prizes. They made it appear that only token gifts were provided to the participants,” he said.
Remulla said the participants played in a “Shot-Gun” format to begin play.
The Cavite governor reiterated that “IATF prohibits mass gatherings in sporting events beyond the 50% rule; [As amended by Paragraph A (4) (c) of IATF Resolution No. 43, June 3, 2020 and Paragraph B of IATF Resolution No. 56, July 16, 2020] Spectators in all non-contact sports and exercises shall be prohibited, thus organized play is NOT allowed under quarantine.”