In Maasin City
TACLOBAN CITY – At least 20 minors who were involved in riot incident were meted with a penalty by Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado.
The minors were penalized with community service by the city mayor.
The riot incident happened on December 1 during the opening salvo of the activities for Christmas festivities in the city.
“As much as we want to impose a much higher penalty for the offense committed as the general public would encourage us to do so, we are always guided and bound by the statute covering this provision,” Mayor Mercado said, citing his reason why he only imposed community service as a penalty to the minors involved.
According to Mercado, the penalty for community service is in accordance with RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 which gives protection to minors who are considered to be in conflict with the law.
Responding to the incident, the City Social Welfare and Development Office of Maasin together with the Maasin City Police Station-Women and Children Protection Desk, conducted a case conference to identify the minors who were involved in the incident.
After the involved youth were identified, the city officials talked with them in the presence of their parents and guardians and agreed that adolescent offender to do community service as penalty for their offense.
The offenders in the presence of their parents and guardians agreed that they will do community service by doing a clean-up drive at the Maasin City Plaza and City Gymnasium, and coastal clean-up at the reclamation area to Metro Hyper.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
