BAGUIO CITY – Police authorities admitted that the leadership quarrel among founders of the different hype-beast groups in the city is reportedly fueling the brewing conflicts of the established organizations that lead to gang wars in various areas around the central business district area.
Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) City Director Senior Superintendent Ramil L. Saculles, who appeared before the regular session of the local legislative body Monday, said that the identified leader of the Sudden Death Gang (SDG) claims to be the founder of hype-beast in the city, thus, all leaders of other hype-beast groups that are founded must bow down to him.
However, he pointed out that the demand of the SDG leader is not allegedly being respected by the other emerging hype-beast groups that is why there is a brewing conflict among them that often leads to alleged bullying.
Saculles explained that hype-beast is a millennial word that emanated from Metro Manila and those who founded the groups in the city used branded clothes, pants, shoes, jackets among others to identify their group from the other.
“We appeal to parents to know what their children are wearing to prevent their innocent child from falling prey to the bullying activities of the members of the hype-beast groups that exist in our city. It is just because of jealousy that is forcing them to bully those whom they find as not part of their group but are wearing similar clothes to the ones they have purchased from their leaders,” Saculles stressed.
The BCPO official said that they have already profiled the leaders of the SDG and other hype-beast groups that exist in the city but he refused to divulge the identities of the said hype-beast leaders because they are minors who are protected under the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act as amended.
He explained once the members of the group see their fellow young ones who are wearing similar branded clothes which were not bought from them, they allegedly bully him and if he fights back, then it will result to a commotion that leads to mauling of their prospective victim.
Saculles noted that the members of the hype-beast groups purchase their branded shirts, jackets, hooded jackets, pants among other branded items from their leader at very expensive prices, thus, parents should also be warned not to simply give in to the request of their children for money to buy branded items to wear.
According to him, policemen were able to engage the teachers of the students who are allegedly members of the hype-beast groups while some of the identified leaders of hype-beast groups were also engaged that is why appropriate strategies have been put in place to significantly reduce the bullying activities of the groups in the different parts of the city. Saculles disclosed that BCPO’s mobile patrol unit disperses the students converging in identified meeting places right after classes to prevent them from pursuing their bullying activities. He also claimed that parents should allow their children to wear their school uniforms and for them not to have other sets of clothes in their bags which they could use to change their uniforms after classes that might expose them to extreme danger.
By Dexter A. See
