Cops ‘rescue’ 19 rugby boys, release them next morning

NINETEEN minors believed to be “rugby boys” were rescued by the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Thursday night.

The boys, ages seven to 14, were caught along Colon St. and near Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City.

CIB Chief Romeo Santander said they rescued the boys for safekeeping, after receiving several reports that the minors were involved in illegal activities, such as snatching.

But yesterday morning, they freed the boys since they were all minors.

Santander said their operation was in response to the reports they received of the rampant “rugby boys”

The Department of Social Welfare and Development 7 says the parents of the minors must be the ones to look after them Boys, ages seven to 14, were caught along Colon St. and near Fuente Osmeña

roaming around the place, threatening passers-by.

During their operation, the CIB was accompanied with the CCPO’s Women’s Desk Division and a barangay focal person in the area.

Voluntary

Santander said that when they held the boys, all of them voluntarily went with them.

“We noticed that there were even some sort of rugby stuck inside their nose and it seems they were high during that time,” said Santander.

At around 9 p.m. Thursday, they brought the minors in the CCPO headquarters where they were fed with a huge bowl of noodles.

“The boys told me that for just P5, they can buy a spoon of rugby and this will reportedly help them forget their hunger,” said Santander.

He added that they will also have to look for the supplier who reportedly sells the rugby among the boys.

The rescued minors were reportedly from Barangays Ermita, Lopez and Pasil.

“It would be nice to house these kinds of minors in an asylum for temporary rehabilitation. We already requested this kind of project from the City but we are still waiting for their response,” said Santander.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7, for their part, said the parents of the minors must also be the one to look after them.

Counseling among the parents should also be done to enlighten them about responsible parenthood, said Jaybee Binghay of DSWD 7.