Curfew set for minors in San Fernando

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Starting March 28, an eight-hour curfew for teenagers aged 18 and below will be imposed in this city.

The curfew will run from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Councilor Roman Cabral Jr. authored Ordinance No. 2003-2004 imposing the curfew which the city council passed last Feb. 28. Its co-author was Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president Amado Santos.

Under the ordinance, minors will not be allowed to roam around in the streets, commercial establishments, recreational centers such as malls and "other areas outside the immediate vicinity of their residences."

Minors are exempt from arrest when accompanied by their parents, relatives or guardians of legal age, and in cases of contingencies such as when running lawful errands like buying medicines and using telecommunications facilities for emergency purposes.

Also exempt are students of night schools and those who, by virtue of their jobs, are required to stay in the streets or outside their homes after 10 p.m.

For the first offense, violators will be reprimanded, while second-time offenders face a reprimand and a warning with three legal impositions.

The third and subsequent offenses will be meted with a jail term of one to 10 days or a P2,000 fine.