BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan directed elements of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and other law enforcement agencies to intensify their operations to dismantle the existence of bad fraternities in the different private and public education institutions in the Summer Capital which have greatly affected the behavior of the youth.
Domogan issued the directive after receiving reports that leaders of bad fraternities are preventing their members from joining the activities of some civic organizations who are trying to move them out from the groups that they have mistakenly joined, thus, the need for the gathering of intelligence reports so that appropriate actions could be done by law enforcers before the recruited members will be exposed to extreme danger.
“Our law enforcers must act quick on this issue before many youths will be lured to join bad fraternities that will eventually compromise their bright future. We need concrete police actions on this matter,” Domogan stressed.
The local chief executive added some fraternities in the city are also forcing their members to use prohibited drugs as part of their initiation prior to being accepted as members of the bad fraternities.
Domogan added the city government organized the task force against bad fraternities which is composed of school officials, city department heads, law enforcers among others in order to implement programs and projects to help the youth shy away from bad fraternities but it seems a number of bad fraternities still exist in the different private and public schools in the city.
The city mayor asserted law enforcers must now go hard against bad fraternities in order to help reduce the occurrence of violence against the youth and prevent graffiti from being done in various parts of the city which do not contribute to the attainment of overall peace and cleanliness of the city.
Instead of engaging in drugs, violence and graffiti, Domogan challenged the fraternities to be actively involved in massive community-based activities such as cleanup operations, tree planting activities, among others that could contribute in maintaining the cleanliness and greenery of the city.
“The city’s youth could contribute in improving the overall state of the city by joining more meaningful activities instead of using prohibited drugs, being involved in violent activities and graffiti that is why we want law enforcers to apprehend erring youth and institute disciplinary action against them in the interest of the general welfare of the populace,” he said.
Domogan appealed to parents and guardians to closely watch the activities of their children and their awards so that they could easily give them the needed directions so that they will not fall in the hands of bad fraternities that could ruin their bright future.
“The fight against bad fraternities is an individual and collective effort among the populace that is why it is still best for parents and guardians to directly supervise the activities of their children before it will be too late and that they are already exposed to the bad elements of the society,” he added.
By Dexter A. See
