ILOILO City – A surge in cases involving children in conflict with the law (CICL) is putting the city on edge, with 11 incidents recorded in the first two months of 2025 alone.
Last year, police reported 149 CICL cases, with physical injury (47 cases) and theft (32 cases) topping the list of offenses.
However, experts warn these numbers may be just the tip of the iceberg, as cases settled at the barangay level are not included in official statistics.
The rising tide of juvenile delinquency has been further fueled by incidents, including a daring holdup at the Iloilo Esplanade by five juvenile escapees from Balay Dalayunan, a stabbing incident in Molo district, and widespread vandalism at the Iloilo Sunset Boulevard.
These high-profile events have sparked public outrage and raised serious questions about the role of parents, schools, and communities in curbing this growing crisis.
Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna is calling for a renewed focus on parental responsibility, urging mothers and fathers to take a more active role in their children’s lives to prevent them from falling into criminal behavior.
“We must not allow the streets to raise our children,” Cabaluna warned.
He also issued a reminder to young people about the dangerous allure of gang culture, stressing that loyalty to gangs often evaporates when the stakes are high, leaving individuals to face legal and personal consequences alone.
Local authorities are scrambling to address the matter, advocating for stronger community-based interventions to help steer at-risk youth away from crime.
Early this week, the police tried to downplay the stabbing incident outside a high school in Molo. There are no youth gangs operating in the city, according to the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).
Police Colonel Kim Legada, city police director, clarified that the incident at the Iloilo City National High School was not gang-related but stemmed from a personal dispute among students.
“We have no recorded gangs here in Iloilo City, and the incident at Iloilo City National High School was simply a result of arguments and misunderstandings among students outside the school premises,” stressed Legada.
But he assured the public that authorities are taking steps to prevent similar incidents.
“The ICPO has coordinated with the Iloilo City National High School, and our office is ready to provide assistance if they request security checks for students entering the school,” he said.
Legada also emphasized that police officers are not allowed to enter school grounds or conduct interviews without proper authorization.
As for the minors involved, Legada confirmed that the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) is closely monitoring their situation.
“The minors have been released and returned to their parents, with the CSWDO continuing to monitor the family dynamics, as they believe parental supervision is key in shaping children’s behavior,” he added.
Mayor Jerry Treñas, in a press conference, assured that security measures are being heightened across all schools in the city.
“Our police officers will patrol not only Iloilo City National High School but all high schools in the city. We do not have issues with school gangs,” the mayor said.
As for the vandalism at the Iloilo Sunset Boulevard that damaged “portalets” (portable toilets), Treñas is offering a P15,000 reward for information leading to the capture of those responsible.
He expressed his frustration with the repeated acts of vandalism at the newly-opened boulevard.
“We already have leads on who is responsible for the vandalism. If P15,000 is not enough, we can increase it, but we will assess first. The open season has begun. Catch them and bring them to me, and you will immediately receive P15,000,” he announced.
Treñas also addressed questions about potential consequences for those caught vandalizing the facilities, stating that offenders would not only be required to clean the portalets but also restrooms in all city detention centers.
“Not only will they clean the portalets, but I will also have them clean every restroom in all detention centers in the city,” he said.
The mayor reminded the public that the portalets are government-funded and meant for public use./PN
