‘Irresponsible’ Manila parents face arrest
Hard times require hard decisions to stop the spread of COVID-19
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has had enough.
Domagoso has finally ordered Manila Police District (MPD) director P/Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda and Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW) chief Re Fugoso to begin filing charges against parents of minors who are caught violating city ordinances.
The mayor gave the instruction after receiving reports by the MPD and MDSW indicating minors composed most of those arrested during curfew hours, mostly without the required masks.
As a result, he has directed the strict implementation starting last night of the city ordinance penalizing “irresponsible parents” of children who will be rescued during nighttime operations.
The mayor said the parents of these kids should face charges for neglect.
“Let’s start jailing irresponsible parents. I don’t mind if our jails will be filled with neglectful parents, which is a violation of Ordinance 8243, or the Anti-Child Endangerment Ordinance of the City of Manila,” Domagoso said
“Hard times require hard decisions to stop the spread of COVID-19. That’s why I ordered Gen. Rolly Miranda and Re Fugoso to start filing cases against these neglectful parents,” he added.
He appealed to parents to take care of their children and be responsible for their welfare.
“In the report MPD submitted this morning, 13 July, those who violated Ordinance 8644, or the Mandatory Use of Face Mask in Public, reached 1,039. Most of them were minors,” Domagoso said.
“Those who were caught violating Ordinance 8547 or the curfew ordinance totaled 9,367. Most of them were minors, too,” he added. Likewise, minors were also among the 1,028 street dwellers rescued by the MDSW.
“Many of them have been abandoned by their parents. Some of them were positive for COVID-19 when they were tested after being rescued from the streets,” he added.