From operation second chance:20 minors escape

CEBU, Philippines —  At least 20 Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) escaped from the Operation Second Chance in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City Saturday night, seven of whom surrendered the morning after.

The rest are being pursued as of this writing.

Police Major Jonathan Dela Cerna, chief of the police station in the area, said it was around 9 p.m. on Saturday when the facility sought their help to locate the minors.

Initial investigation revealed that the group planned their escape for a long time now. With firewood in hand, the 20 charged at the gate, catching the lone security guard off guard.

“Murag ilang gi-lusob diretso ang gate… ni-diretso bitaw… nagdala og mga binugha, nya wala kapugong ang (security) kay siya ra man usa kuno gabantay sa gate… mura’g giplano gyud daan nga manakas sila,” he said.

The facility’s head, Ambrosio Ibones, said the incident happened as they were bringing a resident to the hospital for difficulty of breathing.

The 20 reportedly charged at the security guard and house parent at the gate.

“Paggawas, gidam-agan ang guwardiya ug ang house parent atong daghan kayo; wala na makontrolar,” Ibones said.

Dela Cerna said those who escaped committed various crimes but most were involved in illegal drugs. Others were charged for robbery and theft.

Security

Policemen from the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) used to help guard the facility but this stopped during the pandemic, Dela Cerna said.

“Sauna, naa gyud nay gi-augment pero, for now, sila ra gyuy gabantay, walay police nga gabantay dira… sauna naa to, rotational gyud na. Nahunong guro kay na-busy sa pandemic nga time… mura’g na-maximize atong personnel sa pandemic… ing-ana bitaw,” he said.

In March 2020, another group of residents also managed to escape the facility but there were brought back in safely fast.

Two other incidents happened a year before that, which prompted CCPO to deploy personnel to the facility.

The city government has formed a tracker team to locate the minors.

Mayor Michael Rama has also ordered the police to secure the facility.

“I will be calling our police now, from the perimeter gwardiyahan na… dili didto sa sulod, sa perimeter lang… Di man sad maayo kay police man na unya mga bata ang naa’s sud,” Rama told the Freeman Sunday.

Barangay Guadalupe Captain Michael Gacasan said he has alerted the barangay’s tanods on possible sightings of the escapees.

"Naka-red alert na ang atong mga tanod, pero so far, wala pa man pud miy balita nga naay nakakita na naay niagi diri sa barangay… tua na siguro to sila sa layo ron,” he said Sunday.

Accountability

Rama will call a meeting with the city administrator, some officials of the City’s Department of Social Welfare Services, as well as the city’s action group headed by lawyer Gerry Carillo.

“Why will these kids escape? I want to get into the bottom line of this,” Rama said.

Rama said the city will not hesitate to remove anyone from the facility if there is a need to do so based on investigation findings.

“If and when, for me, if it takes people to be removed, mao gyud na… we’ll be doing that… pero wa pa na matarong og tubag nila,” he said.

Back in 2020, after residents escaped the facility, Councilor Philip Zafra, chairman of the Committee on Peace and Order of the City Council, recommended to the late Mayor Edgardo Labella to reconvene members of the Operation Second Chance Board to review how the facility is being run.

At that time, Zafra said there was also a need to look into current rehabilitation programs implemented and also proposed the transfer of the facility to Barangay Guba.

Zafra could not be reached for comment as of this writing. – Caecent No-ot Magsumbol, JMO (FREEMAN)