Police, CSWDO rescue kid involved in illegal drugs

By Paulo DS. Papa

NAGA CITY --- The 15-year-old boy who was arrested by the police in a buy-bust operation last week is placed under the assessment or evaluation by the management of the Naga City Children’s Home.

Police report said that on October, 21, this year, at 11:05 PM, outside a residential house at Zone 1, Barangay San Felipe, a buy bust operation was staged that resulted in the arrest of the 15-year-old kid along with suspect 21-year-old Clifford Bolaños, of Zone 2, (San Felipe) who was the target of the operation.

Seven sachets of suspected shabu were confiscated from Bolaños, including the marked material used in the buy bust, a sachet of the prohibited drugs.

Bolaños, who is temporarily detained at the PNP substation 3 in Barangay Penafrancia, was charged in court for violating the RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 while the boy was brought to the Naga City Children’s Home (NCCH) as a child in conflict with the law or CICL.

CICL, according to RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, refers to a child who is alleged as, accused of, or adjudged as committed an offense under the Philippine laws.

In an interview, Evangeline Manalo, Social Welfare Officer III of the City Social Welfare and Development Office told Bicol Mail that the teenager, after being brought by the police to NCCH, went through counseling and interview.

The social worker learned that the boy’s parents were serving their prison terms at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City for violation RA 9165.

Manalo said the assessment process would allow them to locate any of the boy’s relatives who would be willing to take custody of him. When a suitable guardian is found, the children’s home will wait for the court’s release of recognizance (ROR) that will enable the minor to have continuous access to the government programs being offered to CICLs.

Manalo said the teenager who was found out to have taken drugs two weeks ago is scheduled to undergo drug rehabilitation process.

The boy is one of the 11 CICLs at the NCCH. Others are those who are called children at risk (CAR) and children in need of special protection (CNSP).

Child at risk, based on the said law, refers to a child who is vulnerable to and at the risk of committing criminal offenses because of personal, family and social circumstances, such as, but not limited to, the following:

(1) being abused by any person through sexual, physical, psychological, mental, economic or any other means and the parents or guardian refuse, are unwilling, or unable to provide protection for the child;

(2) being exploited including sexually or economically;

(3) being abandoned or neglected, and after diligent search and inquiry, the parent or guardian cannot be found;

(4) coming from a dysfunctional or broken family or without a parent or guardian;

(5) being out of school;

(6) being a street-child;

(7) being a member of a gang;

(8) living in a community with a high level of criminality or drug abuse; and

(9) living in situations of armed conflict.

While the Children in Need of Special Protection are those who are at risk of being victimized by abuses due to their disabilities.