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[av_heading heading=’Cops apprehend 451 city minors violating curfew ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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ILOILO City – From Oct. 17 to Nov. 20 the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) apprehended 450 youngsters for violating the curfew ordinance for minors.
They were either returned to their respective families or turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development or to the Balay Dalayunan, a halfway house for abused or delinquent juveniles, in Lapuz district.
“We need the involvement of parents, barangay officials and concerned agencies. Help us prevent the minors from roaming around the city during curfew hours and protect them from trouble,” said Senior Inspector Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson.
The strict enforcement of the curfew has stopped the “wars” among rival youth gangs, she said.
But the curfew may not be enough to keep the youngsters from trouble. Sangrines said convincing the young to engage in more productive endeavors such as sports could further help.
“Basketball and similar activities could keep the young busy and veer them away from loitering at night,” she said.
The ICPO has also maximized police visibility in public places, especially in areas where youngsters usually converge, added Sangrines.
Under Regulation Ordinance No. 2016- 230 which amended Regulation Ordinance No. 2011-676, minors (those below 18 years old) are prohibited from loitering beyond 10 p.m. in restaurants, nightclubs, motels, dancehalls, amusement places such as internet cafes, video arcades, karaoke bars, billiard halls, beach resorts and other similar establishments.
Also under the curfew ordinance, minors are prohibited from selling or vending whatever items (including food and beverages) even with their parents or guardians around, and its shall be unlawful for business establishments to admit minors within their premises during curfew hours.
Early this month, Mayor Jose Espinosa announced that no Dinagyang tribes participating in the festival’s ati and Kasadyahan competitions this January will be allowed to hold rehearsals on the city’s streets during curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
“There will be no extension. Before the curfew ang tanan nga practice,” said Espinosa.
Dinagyang tribes are mostly school-based and their members are students covered by the curfew ordinance for minors.
Espinosa recently met with officials of various schools and tribes, the Iloilo City Police Office and the city government’s Task Force on Morals and Values Formation and discussed the curfew vis-a-vis the Dinagyang tribes’ rehearsals.
Tribe managers sought exemption from the curfew. They wanted the rehearsals to last late into the night but the city police insisted that these must not go beyond 10 p.m. – the start of the curfew.
According to Espinosa, none could give him assurance that the youngsters would go straight home after the late night rehearsals thus he told them, “You practice before sang curfew kag kon curfew na, puli na tanan.”/PN
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