Cops told: Monitor gangs recruiting minors

Police Regional Office-7 director Chief Supt. Robert Quenery has directed the Cebu City police to closely monitor the reported recruitment of minors by a gang and used them as drug couriers.

"Ang directive diyan is to hit hard on these syndicates allegedly victimizing these children or minors, yung sindikato ang kunin nila para ma-spare ang kabataan sa ganitong klaseng pamamaraan," Quenery said.

Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) head Garry Lao told reporters that a resident from Sitio Kauswagan, Barangay Basak Pardo, reported to Mayor Tomas Osmeña the alleged recruitment activity of a gang in their area.

The informant described the minors as "very aggressive" and behind a string of petty crimes in the barangay.

"Stated sa report, nga mostly mga bata ang gamiton kay di man gud sila makasuhan. Dapat maalarma ta, especially ang mga ginikanan," Lao said.

Quenery said that all police stations, not only in Cebu City, should watch out for the alleged recruitment or minors.

"All municipal police stations, in this case Pardo should. Pa-igtingin at tuonan ng maigi ang sindikato na umano'y nambibiktima ng bata," he said.

He said that police visibility is very important to discourage lawless elements from victimizing minors.

"It's a very important aspect in policing, police visibility... police should be omnipresent, it could be felt, kahit hindi ka nakikita if you could be felt, then it could help preventing crimes," Quenery said.

According to him, curfew ordinance should be strictly implemented by the local government units to prevent minors from loitering during night time.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has already ordered all barangay tanods to strictly implement the curfew in their respective barangay. Osmeña threatened to cut off the P4,000 monthly allowance of each barangay tanod if they fail to implement the ordinance.

Lao, who was tasked by Osmeña to monitor the performance of the tanods, said he will meet all chiefs of tanods on February 5 to inform them that their honoraria will be suspended if they do not comply with the directive of the mayor.

“After the meeting, i-implement na namo, we have to start aron matagaan ang curfew ordinance og importansya,” he said.

According to Lao, by strictly implementing City Ordinance 1786 or Curfew Ordinance of Cebu City, the recruitment of minors by criminal gangs will be addressed. Under the ordinance, no minors are allowed to roam around the streets beyond 10 p.m. until 4 a.m.

“I concur sa gisulti ni mayor nga ipa-cancel ang allowance, with the pronouncement wala tay compromise niini. Kung mahibaw-an nga mao na dili ta magduha-duha sa pagrecommend nga ipacancel gyud,” Lao said.

Lao, who is a former barangay official, observed that there are tanods who are not doing their jobs well.

“Ang nahitabo sa tanods, they are not conducting roving, ilahang gihimo mura sila og mamasahero, moagi ra sila sa area nga naay daghang nagtapok,” he said.