Police round up 80 street carolers

CEBU, Philippines - At least 80 carolers were rounded up from the streets by the city police during two operations to enforce City Ordinance No. 1931 or the Anti-Mendicancy and Street Caroling Ordinance.  

Police rounded up 44 street carolers last November 27 while 36 were rounded up the other day.

C.O. No. 1931 prohibits and penalizes the giving and soliciting by mendicants of cash or goods in public places, buildings, offices, as well as business or commercial establishments.

Personnel from the Women and Children’s Protection Desk of the Cebu City Police Office led by the unit’s chief, Sr. Insp. Chyrel Ramos, conducted the saturation drive together with representatives from the Association of Barangay Councils, Department of Social Welfare and Services, and CCPO-Police Auxiliary Group.

For the saturation drive the other day, the group started the operation with a briefing at the Pari-an Drop-in Center at 4pm and proceeded to three target areas – along N. Bacalso Street near the Elizabeth Mall, along P. Del Rosario Street near the Sto. Rosario Church, and along Osmeña Boulevard near the City Central School. 

The team subsequently rescued 36 carolers, 27 of whom were boys and 9 were girls. All 36 were minors with several below 10 years old. The same was the case of the 44 carolers rounded up last November 27. Of the number, 28 were boys and 16 were girls.

Of the 80 carolers, 12 came from barangay Lorega, seven each from barangays Day-as, Kalunasan, and San Roque, and five from barangay Labangon.

The street carolers were temporarily held in Kaohsiung buses and were subsequently turned over to the DSWS at the Pari-an Drop-in Center.

Parents who went to the drop-in center to fetch their kids were lectured on their responsibilities in line with C.O. No. 1931.

Police said robbers who will disguise as carolers will be arrested, charged and imprisoned.

Meanwhile, the City Council has approved the proposal of Councilor Edgardo Labella for barangays to deploy personnel to help curb the increasing number of risk-laden street caroling activities by assigning watch stations near traffic lights where child carolers are most likely to be found.

Labella also urged the PNP to undertake appropriate actions to ensure the safety of school-age children, as well as the commuting public susceptible to unscrupulous acts that may come with these street-caroling or caroling-on-vehicle activities.”

“And finally, suggesting to the legislative body of the country to cast a serious re-examination of RA no. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 in the direction of infusing appropriate, timely and relevant amendments to the same, in consonance with the reasons of concerned sectors nationwide including Cebu City legitimately clamoring for changes in the said law so that its main purpose will be achieved – and protect especially street kids from their pliant tendencies towards delinquency,” Labella’s resolution reads. — Niña G. Sumacot/JMO (THE FREEMAN)