Trouble hounds SK reg'l confab

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  — In what could be another justification to calls for the abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan, several SK officials attending a regional conference in Negros Oriental were caught in a variety of offense.

At least four unnamed SK officials from Lapu-Lapu City were found by personnel of the hotel in Amlan town where they were staying to have vandalized their room.

Six other SK officials, all local boys from Amlan, were caught in their room in the same hotel having a pot session and enjoying the company of a woman.

The SK officials were in Amlan along with other delegates from all over Central Visayas for a regional conference.

Hotel personnel allegedly found SK officials from Amlan town, Negros Oriental enjoying themselves with a woman and puffs of marijuana inside their hotel room last Friday. Responding PDEA operatives also found suspected marijuana leaves and paraphernalia.

SK officials from all over Central Visayas region were in the city for a three-day SK Regional Congress, said SK regional chairman Scott Wayne Husain.

Husain insisted that the incidents were isolated but declared that an investigation is being conducted.

“We are shamed by this news, considering that we are the host of this event,” Husain said in an interview with The FREEMAN. “We will not tolerate such behavior, because as youth leaders we are supposed to serve as examples to our young people.”

Husain said that if found guilty, the SK officials could face suspension and even expulsion, depending on the gravity of the offense.

Hotel officials alleged the SK officials from Amlan were caught coddling a woman who, in an incident report by the hotel guard, was brought to the officials’ room.

The hotel does not allow guests, especially minors, to bring female guests to their rooms, prompting the security to check. Upon inspection, hotel officials discovered a distinct smell of marijuana emanating from the room, causing them to report to the PDEA.

PDEA Negros Oriental Provincial Director Rayford Yap told The FREEMAN that, when they arrived, the occupants of the room were no longer there.

But Yap said they found out that the comfort room of the SK officials reeked of marijuana odor. They decided to wait for the return of the occupants.

Several hours later, two of the occupants returned to the room, giving the PDEA men the opportunity to check on the allegations of the hotel personnel, said Yap.

The ensuing PDEA investigation resulted in the recovery of a matchbox with some seeds of suspected marijuana, rolling papers, commonly used by marijuana users, and dried leaves also believed to be marijuana.

One of the four SK officials told The FREEMAN: “I was not in the hotel and I was in the convention center, I have no knowledge on it.”

Yap said the suspects, who were minors, were not arrested because no marijuana leaves or seeds were recovered from their possession.

But PDEA already sent the leaves and seeds of suspected marijuana to the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) laboratory yesterday morning.

If the leaves will be positive of marijuana a mandatory drug test of the four SK officials will be recommended to the Amlan town officials, said Yap. 

Yap said the SK officials, elected by the young people of their respective towns, have the burden of responsibility to uphold the law.

One of the suspects is the son of a former ex-officio Provincial Board member of Negros Oriental. He was taken by his parents immediately after the incident, according to PDEA agents.

Hotel officials further disclosed that an incident report filed by the hotel security stated that a room occupied by SK officials from Lapu-Lapu City was found to have been “vandalized.”

Housekeeping personnel, while cleaning the room, found two bottles of vodka, vomit waste and soiled pillow cases, bed sheets, and towels. (FREEMAN)