Cebu City policemen escort two minors caught violating the curfew imposed by the Cebu City government to their home on March 15, 2020.| Alven Marie A. Timtim
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police have warned parents about the consequences if their minor children will repeatedly be caught violating the curfew ordinance.
Police Major Eduard Sanchez, Police Station 6 chief, said that the parents would be fined or would have to do community service time for allowing their children to loiter the streets during curfew.
Sanchez’s warning came after they caught 20 minors inside an internet cafe on the first day of strictly imposing the curfew amid Cebu City Edgardo Labella’s order for the police to strictly enforce.
An order given as part of the measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city.
Read more: Cebu City puts up border control as it enters ‘general community quarantine’
Sanchez said that with the directive, the patrols in areas where children would usually loiter at night were increased from one to three.
This was to ensure that the children sent home will not return to the streets at the curfew time.
20 kids sent home
On March 15, 2020, CDN Digital accompanied the patrol of the San Nicolas Police Station of five policemen and a policewoman, visited the areas in Barangays Pasil and Suba.
During this patrol they chanced upon 20 minors inside an internet cafe at that hour. The kids were sent home.
Two of the minors were from Barangay Mambaling and the police escorted them home.
“Sige man gyud pud mi remind sa parents nila nga for their own safety pud dapat wala na sa kadalanan ilahang mga anak pag 10 p.m. na,” said Sanchez.
(We always remind the parents that for the safety of their children, they have to make sure that they children are no longer on the streets beyond 10 p.m.)
He said that in cases like this, they would usually bring the children home and inform the parents about the stricter implementation of the curfew ordinance.
He said they would also inform the parents about the possible sanctions and fines against them if their children would repeatedly violate the curfew ordinance.