‘Tis the season to be careful

If you get caught giving money to jeepney rappers or carolers, prepare to pay a P1,000 fine, a Cebu City councilor says

JEEPNEY passengers are cautioned against three male teenagers who jump from one jeepney to another to go caroling.

Police warned that they form part of a Christmas modus operandi of pickpockets and snatchers to victimize passengers of public utility jeepneys (PUJs).

Cebu City Police Director Joel Doria has alerted the police to watch out for the three, whose pictures were posted by Councilor Dave Tumulak on his personal Facebook account.

“I directed my men to look for those guys para imbitahin sa sta-

‘Tis the season to be careful

tion kasi yung ginagawa nila pwedeng gayahin ng iba (They will be invited to the station because others might copy what they’re doing),” he said.

“Yung modus nila, may halo na yung threat at extortion. Marami nang pwedeng ikaso but they’re actually still being verified (They employ a mix of threats and extortion. We could file several cases against them but…),” the city director said.

The teenagers allegedly pose as regular carolers, singing, “Mga Ma’am, mga Sir. Dili mi manulis ninyo, mangayo lang mi (Ma’am, Sir, we’re not here to rob you, we just want to ask for some spare coins).”

However, Doria said that what they’re doing is not illegal but their motives are still doubtful.

“The mere fact that they are hopping to different vehicles na grupo sila, parang suspicious na yun (It’s suspicious already),” he said.

Two of the teenagers go inside the jeepney to sing while the other one hangs on the entrance, which keeps the passengers from going out.

Begging

In a related development, the police said there was no sighting in Cebu City of white vans dropping off children to ask for alms.

But Doria confirmed that he received reports from other police offices about an organized syndicate that uses children to beg on the streets.

“So far, wala pa tayong namonitor na ganyan but we’re on the lookout for them,” he said.

For his part, Tumulak echoed the police official’s warning against the roving carol-singers.

Tumulak has been designated as deputy mayor for public order and safety. He posted on his personal Facebook account last Monday the photos of three teenagers who allegedly jump from one jeepney to another while caroling on N. Bacalso Ave. down to the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT).

The post has been shared by more than 1,500 Facebook users as of yes- terday, and the councilor asked the public to report the three jeepney carolers to authorities if they see them.

Tumulak and a Cebu City police team conducted an operation yesterday morning to pick up the trio, but didn’t spot them.

The City Council also approved yesterday a resolution reminding the Philippine National Police and the barangays to strictly enforce the city’s Anti-Dispatching Ordinance and the AntiMendicancy Ordinance.

Drafted by Tumulak, the resolution aims to rid the city of street hazards and to prevent accidents and crimes.

It was found during a meeting with CCPO that the number of jeepney mendicants, both children and adults, has increased despite the ordinances, he said.

“The jeepney rappers and/or carolers, if caught, will be imprisoned for a month. However, if a private person is caught giving money, regardless of the amount, then you’ll be fined P1,000. We don’t tolerate mendicancy regardless of nature,” Tumulak said.