Police eye penalty for parents; 72 minors ‘rescued’ in curfew campaign

CEBU, Philippines — Seventy-two minors were “rescued” during the strict implementation of Cebu City’s curfew ordinance in six barangays under the jurisdiction of San Nicolas Police Station Wednesday night.

Policemen conducted simultaneous roving patrols with barangay officials from 10 p.m. Wednesday until 4 a.m. yesterday and accosted the minors in the streets of Barangay San Nicolas Proper, Pasil, Pahina San Nicolas, Calamba, Sawang Calero and Suba.

The effort was in line with the campaign to curb prevent petty crimes and minors being used as couriers by drug personalities.

Chief Inspector Keith Allen Andaya, San Nicolas Police Station chief, said majority of the minors were mostly those who went out to play and did not yield any illegal items like drugs or drug paraphernalia.

“Naa ra man sila sa dalan, nagduwa-duwa lang. Pero kato kasagaran mag-standby sa den mao sila usually involved sa drugs. Pero so far, based sa atong last night’s rescue operation, wala may nakuha. It is safe to conclude nga out of the 72 wala ray na-involve didto nga illegal drugs nga minors,” he said.

Andaya said the curfew helped avoid incidents involving minors, especially their recruitment by lawless elements in their illegal activities.

He said it was the second rescue operation they conducted, but was so far the biggest in terms of the number of minors accosted since it was participated in by six barangays.

“Mas daghan karon kay katong last time four barangays ra to. Nihangyo ato ang Pasil and Suba nga dili sa sila kay tungod atong sunog,” Andaya said.

He assured they would continue the effort without disrupting their daily operations and even when there were personnel pulled out to augment security for the ASEAN Meetings currently held in Bohol and in protest rallies by Cebu-based cause-oriented groups yesterday.

He said all minors caught violating the curfew ordinance were turned over to the city’s social welfare officer for orientation before they were handed to their parents and immediate guardians.

Andaya said first offense necessitates a penalty of verbal warning only, but the second offense social workers and the barangay might require community service.

“Ako lang hangyo mo-strengthen lang sila (parents and gurdians) paghipos sa ilang bata.  Kung unsay mahitabo gamiton pas drug personalities and drug couriers,” he said.

He also said his office would revisit the law regarding child abuse to check for penalties that may be imposed on parents if the minors get caught for the third time. (FREEMAN)