More cops on patrol to stop gangs

A clash between two groups of teenagers on Monday, which led to the stabbing and wounding of a 14-year-old girl, has prompted police in Lapu-Lapu City to increase police visibility in areas where teenagers would gather.

Senior Insp. Joey Bicoy, Hoops Dome Police Station chief, said that the clash of two “gangs of teenagers” happened despite their night patrols against minors on the streets in their area, which covers seven barangays, including Gun-ob.

Bicoy said they covered the area with the help of force multipliers — the barangay tanods.

Bicoy said that the wounded girl was with a group of teenagers, who called their group — Trump, and were strolling along Humay-Humay Road when they were confronted with another group of teens at 8 p.m. The confrontation led to a free-for-all and the stabbing of the girl.

Bicoy said that the girl and her friends did not recognize the other group of teenagers, who fled after the attack.

Bicoy also said that the barangays had been implementing the curfew law for children to prevent among others the problem of teenager-gangs in some areas of the city. Aside from Lapu-Lapu, the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) has ordered the Minglanilla Police to also intensify their street patrols and to increase police visibility in areas in the town where gangs are known to gather to ensure the safety of the public.

Senior Supt. Manuel Abrugena, CPPO chief, said that they would not hesitate to detain teenagers to stop the gang wars in Minglanilla.

Abrugena also ordered the provincial police to coordinate with the barangay officials and the Department of Education in dealing with the problem of students being a member of a gang.

Abrugena’s reaction came after a 16-year-old boy was shot and wounded by three teenagers, who were believed to be members of a rival gang.