ILOILO City – Crimes involving minors in this city dropped, data from the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) showed.
From January to November this year, the police recorded 60 cases – way below 235 cases recorded in the same period last year.
The 74.5 percent decline was due to, among others, the strict implementation of the curfew ordinance for minors in cooperation with barangay officials, said Senior Police Officer 4 Ruth Laudatu of the WCPD.
Most of the crimes minors got involved were physical injuries (22 cases), theft (10) and robbery (seven), ICPO records showed.
“We hope this declining trend in crimes involving minors would continue,” said Laudato.
The media helped, too, she said, by constantly reminding parents to secure their children at night.
The curfew for minors is from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
“We also noticed that barangay officials are more active now in implementing the curfew. This is a big and welcome development,” said Laudato.
Since January, the police managed to apprehend 1,226 minors roaming around the city during curfew hours. The WCPD, however, preferred to use the term “rescue.”
These minors were mostly caught in computer shops, said Laudato.
“We are warning computers shops and internet cafés. They could be held liable should they allow minors to enter their establishments during curfew hours and during class hours,” said Laudato.
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.
Business establishments violating the ordinance shall be meted with the following sanctions:
* first violation – written notice of warning
* second violation – imposition of a P5,000 fine
* third violation – closure of the establishment for three day
* fourth violation – closure of the establishment for five days; and
* fifth violation – revocation of business permit./PN
