5 minors rescued from ‘drug user’

At least five minors were rescued from the house of a 35-year-old alleged drug user in Sitio BasakEskwelahan, Barangay Basak, LapuLapu City last Tuesday.

The minors, four girls and a 16-year-old boy, were rescued by barangay tanods and a Gender and Development (GAD) officer around 1:30 a.m. and arrested Mathwell Alviola Fernandez after they found from his possession 10 small sachets of suspected shabu.

Prior to the arrest, GAD officer Anita Jumamil of Barangay Basak said they received reports from residents that there are students who arrived in the house of Fernandez.

Three girls are aged 13 and the other one is 15. They are high school students of Gun-ob High School.

Jumamil said that the 16-year-old boy who is an out-of-school-youth was the one who brought the girls to Fernandez’s house to make a “class project.”

The parents of the minors were deeply worried about their children because they skipped their class that day and did not go home, according to Jumamil.

“Ang ilang (rason) niadto sila sa area kay tungod maghimo project, natingala mi nganong adto didto nga ngitngit kaayo walay suga,” Jumamil said.

The students reportedly have cut classes and went out together with the boy who was said to be “high” on drugs.

“Katong usa high na kaayo sa nga tanan oi mura na siya’g nasudlan og laing espiritu,” Jumamil added.

None of the minors were hurt and were immediately turned over to Home Care, a city government-owned facility for children in conflict with the law (CICL).

Chief Insp. Juan Capacio, head of Marigondon Police Station 4, said they will file a complaint against Fernandez for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act 2002.

Fernandez is detained in the holding cell of Marigondon Police Station 4.

Following the incident, Mayor Paz Radaza, in her press conference yesterday reminded the parents to look after their children.

“Mo-monitor sila sa ilahang mga anak, dili lang i-piyal sa eskwelahan kundi sila mismo I-monitor nila og unsay mga aktibidades sa ilahang mga anak ug asa ilahang mga anak,” Radaza said.

She reminded the students, too, that they should be extra careful in dealing with the people surrounding them.