ILOILO City – The death of an 18-year-old lad and the wounding of his 14-year-old friend during a Christmas eve rumble in Barangay Democracia, Jaro district was a wakeup call for the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to intensify the enforcement of the curfew for minors.
“We don’t want that Jaro incident to happen again. Our personnel will be roaming the streets of the city,” said Police Major Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson.
The curfew for minors starts at 10 p.m. and ends at 4 a.m. of the next day.
The Dec. 24 10 p.m. rumble was between two groups of youngsters.
These past four months, the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the ICPO received numerous reports of “gang wars” involving youngsters.
This prompted the police to revive a youth-focused peace and order program successfully implemented in 2016 – Project B.O.N.G., and now renamed as Project Pandilla. It carries out activities that channel the youths’ energies to productive endeavors.
Among these activities are youth camps, basketball tournaments, art workshops, seminars, etc.
“These activities will keep the young away from violence and inculcate in them the value of friendly competition,” said Sangrines./PN
