Three teenagers, including two minors, were collared in a buy-bust operation conducted by Buhangin policemen in Buhangin Saturday night.
Major Jason Baria, the spokesperson of Police Regional Office, identified the eldest as Angelo Bautista, 18. The two minors were identified as alias Kano, 17, and alias Tiyoy, 14.
Baria said the operation against the three teens was conducted after they were monitored to be involved in illegal drugs.
The deal was set at a popular hamburger store along the national highway in Km-5, Buhangin at 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
The three were collared after they sold a sachet to an undercover agent for P500.
Operatives also confiscated six other sachets containing substance believed to be shabu and one sachet containing suspected dried marijuana fruiting.
The minors were forwarded to the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO).
Brig. Gen. Marcelo Morales, police regional director, lauded the operatives but lamented that those arrested are teenagers.
“It is very devastating to know that our youths have already been influenced by adult criminals in engaging in illegal drugs transactions,” Morales said.
He said the police and the PDEA will conduct drug symposiums in the all the schools in the region.
“We will strengthen our advocacies on children to prevent such incidents such in the near future,” he added.
Baria said the Davao City Police has been awarded for their child intervention programs.
From 2012 up until now, Talomo Police Station continues to educate children in conflict with the law, in partnership with EMAR Human Environmental College, through Save a Child-Adopt a Child project.
It has a special room for children who don’t have places to stay which make them wander around the streets. A learning center was also donated, located at the back of PS 3 Building for children who were adopted for them to study. PCOL DIONISIO C ABUDE, PNP Retired and the present CTTMO Chief, started the project with only 43 scholars.
From then, the said program for children have grown much and it has been replicated by some police stations in Davao City that won as an accolade as “MOST CHILD-FRIENDLY CITY” in the country for how many years now.
“I believe that community policing works and makes a difference in the quality of life for the members of the community. Everyone has a role in making their homes and communities safer, this is what I implied to every citizen in the community. As their Regional Director, I ensure that the people are informed of their involvement in crime prevention and encouraged every residents for community commitment through our personnel from the Police Community Affairs Section,” said Brig Gen Morales said.
It was recalled that the Philippine National Police (PNP) was inclined to support the proposal of the House of Representatives to lower the age of criminal liability to 12 years old, citing a spike in criminal involvement of minors at such age as the organization welcomes the move to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 12 from 15.
PRO 11 attributed the success of Anti-illegal drugs campaign to their intensified campaign against persons wanted by the law and the strong partnership between the police, other security forces and the community.
The arrested person and rescued minors and recovered drug items are now under the custody of PS5 for proper disposition while a case for violation of Section 5 and 11 of RA 9165 was being readied for filing in court.
