Residents at facility for minors get violent
Eleven residents of the Operation Second Chance Center (OSCC), a facility for minor offenders in Cebu City, became violent yesterday morning, destroying a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera and attempting to kill a dog.
A CCTV video showed that the 11 went out of the wards to the courtyard at past 9 a.m. and started throwing stones at the CCTV camera. One of them tried to kill the dog lying there while another slammed a white plastic chair to the ground.
OSCC Executive Director Merlina Metante said the 11 were fed up of being locked up in isolation. They are among 15 residents isolated from the 163 other residents for violating house rules multiple times.
They allegedly used a big rock to bang the ward’s lock open.
At the time the violence ensued, one of the 15 residents was in court while three others did not participate and stayed inside the ward.
Dioscoro Lariosa, a security guard at the facility, tried to calm the 11 residents down but he was punched in the face and assaulted using parts of the plastic chair that got broken.
It was only when personnel of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) arrived and intervened when the commotion stopped.
One of the 11 would say later that they were not allowed to play sports.
Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, said the 11 may have been alarmed and may have wanted to escape after they learned that they will be transferred soon to the correctional facility for adults because of their age. They are reportedly aged 18 to 20.
“Of course, they’re alarmed nga ibalhin sila kay daghan na man sila og kalapasan nga nabuhat sa mga house rules pero wa ta mag-expect nga bisan sa ilang pag-menor de edad, grabe man diay, sama sa mga dagko na piniriso,” Tumulak said.
He said stricter security measures will be in place following the incident.
“Hugtan pa gyud nato atong seguridad sa OSCC niya lesson learned, kung naa gani ingon ana nga commotion, dili angayan musulod deretso ang gwardiya… kinahanglan nga i-seal lang usa ang area,” Tumulak said.
At City Hall, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the situation at the facility needs to be reassessed.
“Operation Second Chance is a program initiated by Margot (his wife, Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña) because she is very concerned about mixing minors and the adults, so that they don't get bad habits, but now, apparently, this is a bad development,” Osmeña said.
For his part, Cebu City Police Office Director, Senior Supt. Joel Doria, said they have personnel on standby to assist any commotion at the facility.
“Well, meron naman tayong pulis na nag-aasist duon, para maging added security na din and of course yung Guadalupe police station. Pero ang kailangan talaga is yung social worker, kasi mga minor yan,” Doria said.