Curfew reimposed in "Christmas town"

ALBUERA, LEYTE , Philippines – An almost-decade-old curfew ordinance was recently reimposed by Mayor Erlinda dela Victoria of this town, known as Leyte province's "Christmas town" due to its famous Christmas lights that bedeck all of its streets during the Yuletide season.

Dela Victoria revived the curfew on her town following reports that there were "fraternities" recruiting members as young as grade five students plus a rash of "akyat bahay" incidents through the past weeks.

The mayor told The FREEMAN that besides the re-implementation of the curfew ordinance, the local government has been conducting symposia in various schools with the parents of students. "I always emphasize to the parents that the children were their responsibilities, especially after class hours and they are very cooperative," she said.

She said the parents welcomed the reimposition of the curfew even if it gave the famed "Christmas town" in Leyte an aura of a "ghost town" instead after 10 p.m.

The curfew prohibits children and young people below 20 years of age from loitering around the town from 10 p.m. through 3 a.m. Those above 20 years of age, on the other hand, are prohibited from loitering from 12 midnight to 3 a.m. Exempted from this law are those who have legitimate reasons like barangay tanods on duty.

According to Sr. Insp. Solomon Aujero, chief of the Albuera Police, the curfew has resulted in the fast resolution of "akyat bahay" incidents, and even netted an alleged high-ranking member of the New People's Army.

The police chief said, on January 31 and February 1, two complaints reached the police about burglary of their houses. With the curfew reimposition, Aujero said his men caught Miguel Ebero, a 55-year-old resident of Brgy. Balugo, who was allegedly in possession of a .45 caliber pistol with three magazines and 17 live ammunitions.

Military officials lauded the police for the arrest of Ebero who was later accused of being a revolutionary tax collector of the NPA and a high-ranking official of the rebels' Northern Leyte Front.

Aujero added that, a few days later, tanods accosted a group of teeners on bicycles loitering around during the curfew period. The teeners scampered but two of them were caught by the police, and the bicycles they left behind were later found to be stolen. —