As authorities tighten security: Police, BJMP take over OSC

CEBU, Philippines —  Members of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penelogy (BJMP) have guarded the Operation Second Chance facility in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City following the escape of several Children in Conflict with the Law Wednesday morning.

Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, the CCPO director, said that during a meeting yesterday with Cebu City Administrator Collin Rosell and Councilor Phillip Zafra, the chairman of the City Council Peace and Order Committee, they had agreed that the Philippine National Police and the BJMP will manage the security of the OSC facility.

Dalogdog said that eight members of the City Mobile Force Company and eight personnel of the BJMP are currently guarding the center.

Rossell said the CCPO is also planning to ask for additional personnel from the BJMP for a rotational deployment of guards.

Meanwhile, OSC workers who are in charge of providing food and supervising activities for the CICLs at the facility have been replaced.

"Kay mao na siya ang rekomendasyon ni Honorable Mayor Michael Rama nga ang tanang mga staff sa Operation Second Chance center ilisdan na gyud, ilisdan og bag-o unya ang in-charge sa security ang PNP ug ang BJMP na,” Dalogdog said.

Last Wednesday, at least nine CICLs escaped from the OSC facility but police immediately recovered six of the juveniles, an incident that prompted Mayor Michael Rama to overhaul the center.

The nine CICLs reportedly rushed outside when the main gate was opened during the collection of garbage from the facility.

As of yesterday, the authorities are still searching for the three CICLs.

Policemen have been monitoring the areas where the three CICLs live and have coordinated with the parents to help convince their children to surrender.

The city government will soon install more steel gates, CCTV cameras and alarm sound system to tighten the security at the OSC center.

A secondary fence will also be constructed so that the minors will not have access to the nearby Cebu City Jail.

Rehab program

Rosell said they are looking into ways to intensify the rehabilitation program for the minor offenders and establish a better security plan at the facility.

“For the longest time, Mayor Mike (Rama) is very much concerned on the plight sa atong mga batan-on, labi na kaning sa mga juvenile delinquent…and with the series..naay mugawas, naay mga kwestyunable nga activities, the Mayor does not tolerate it,” Rosell told reporters yesterday.

Rosell, who has been tasked by Rama to oversee the situation, said they have already sent former Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) head Portia Basmayor to be on top of the operations, especially on rehabilitation program.

“Tua na siya didto..Portia Basmayor have a direct order from Mayor to focus on the program and be on top of the operations,” Rosell added. —  Romeo Marantal, LPM (FREEMAN)