The anti-drug raid where children were caught sniffing shabu should serve as a wake-up call for society, specifically parents, Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said yesterday.
“The drug buy-bust operation last (Friday) night at Duljo-Fatima which resulted in a number of people arrested in a pot session with 10, 11, 12, 13-year-old children should serve as a wake-up call not only to police authorities, city officials but most importantly to parents,” said Labella, head of the City Hall’s Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC).
Cebu City Intelligence Branch (CIB) operatives had raided a drug den in the barangay and saw dropouts who sell newspapers in downtown Cebu sharing a sachet of shabu with 10 adults. It was the first time that CIB Chief Supt. Romeo Santander saw minors sniffing illegal drugs.
The minors were taken to a center where social workers had a case conference with the parents of the minors, the barangay officials and the police.
READ: Drug den raid nets 5 boys
“We found out that it’s more on the problems in their family. Almost all of the parents are solo parents. We will be giving livelihood to the mothers of the kids to help them out instead of going somewhere else,” said DSWS chief Dr. Ester Concha.
She said social workers will continue to oversee and guide the mothers on how to improve their lives and that of their children.
For his part, Labella said barangay officials should conduct forums with the parents on how to avoid illegal drug use. Late last year, PCAC spearheaded the first city-wide Crime Prevention Summit where illegal drug use was discussed.
“We have to go down to the barangay level. Parents must contribute and do their share to support the law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Association of Barangay Councils (ABC)-Cebu City chapter president Phillip Zafra said he’ll suggest the activity during the ABC’s general assembly this week.
He said based on his talks with parents who have children using illegal drugs, among the causes cited were family problems, school problems and peer pressure.
Zafra, the barangay captain of Tisa, said they already scheduled a forum with the parents after the Holy Week.
“I’ll discuss with the other barangays during our general assemble this Tuesday for them to do a similar activity,” he said.