The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) reported that there were nine females who were involved in cases of children in conflict with the law last year.
Myrna Valencerina, Gender and Development (GAD) focal person of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), stated that the 9 females were among the suspects involved in the 82 cases of children in conflict with the law that were recorded by the local government last year.
Further, she claimed that 61 cases remain unfiled while 21 cases have already been filed with the proper authorities.
The CSWDO GAD focal person noted that 28 cases are now undergoing intervention, 27 cases are undergoing division, 22 cases are currently undergoing the investigation process while 3 cases have already been terminated.
Moreover, 1 case had the suspect release on recognizance while another case was suspended for certain reasons.
She claimed that 73 male suspects belong to the 11 to 17 age group, 7 female suspects belong to the same age bracket while 2 male suspects belong to the below 11 years old bracket.
Among the offenses committed by the children in conflict with the law include physical assault – 38, theft – 15, bullying – 12, rape – 5, violation of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs ACT – 5, sexual assault – 2, damage to property – 2, murder/homicide – 1, violation of RA 11313 – 1 and violation of RA 9262 – 1.
Fifty-four suspects underwent the community-based intervention and diversion while 16 suspects were reintegrated to their families after the commission of such acts.
Valencerina stipulated that all the appropriate interventions had been provided to the said children in conflict with the law for them to be able to be reformed and join the mainstream society and start their new ways of life for the betterment of the city and help reduce the number of children in conflict with the law.
She appealed to parents to closely monitor the activities of their children so that they will be able to correct their behaviors at the earliest possible time to prevent these from escalating that might cause them to be part of the children in conflict with the law.
