MINORS USE FAKE IDs Youngsters find easy way to skirt curfew

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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Thursday, August 3, 2017
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ILOILO City – Minors continue to flock Smallville, a popular entertainment complex in Barangay San Rafael, Mandurriao district, late into the night despite the curfew prohibiting them from loitering from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Some use falsified identification cards to pass themselves off as 18 years old or older, according to George Duron, head of the city government’s Task Force on Morals and Values Formation.
Smallville hosts myriad restaurants and bars. Security officers claim having a hard time ascertaining the real age of young people entering their establishments, and the authenticity of the identification cards being presented to them.
The task force may ask for samples of identification cards from various schools in the city and compare these with those the youngsters present to security guards at Smallville, said Duron.
He, however, wasn’t sure how effective this strategy would be. The identification cards of some schools do not indicate the date of birth of their students, he explained.
From what the task force gathered from establishments at Smallville, Fridays and Saturdays are the “favorite days” of youngsters to hang out at the entertainment complex.
According to Duron, his task force would be deploying personnel at Smallville on those days beginning Aug. 6.
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.
Duron noted that policemen and barangay tanods posted at Smallville start pulling out from the area between 1 a.m. to 4p.m.
“Mabulos kami. Kami na lang masakripisyo,” he said.
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.
Violating business establishment 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 days
* fourth violation – closure of the establishment for five days; and
* fifth violation – revocation of business permit.
Wayward teens are becoming a growing problem for the city police. A strict implementation of the curfew for minors may avert gang wars but the cooperation of parents is needed, said Senior Inspector Shella Sangrines, city police spokesperson.
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) counted at least 25 youth gangs and most of their members were minors or those below the legal age of 18.
The city ordinance imposing curfew for minors has not been properly enforced for years. It is principally for unescorted minors and aims to minimize incidents of crime involving juveniles./PN
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