School gang push 

students to steal

TAGBILARAN CITY, January 27 (PIA)—A seemingly harmless duty call for a city barangay chairman to confirm the identity of a minor involved in a malicious mischief, led to the revelation of a gang thriving inside a big city public school. 

Cabawan Barangay Chairman Luis Coto, during a meeting at the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) narrated that he was called by the City Social Welfare Office to help identify two minors who were caught in a simple theft in a 24 hours shop. 

When he investigated them, the minors admitted that they were forced to the act of mischief because a gang operating inside the school forced them. 

One of the minors in the case turned out to be from San Isidro and not Cabawan as he earlier told the police.

When asked further, the minors admitted they could easily identify the gang leaders in the school, specifically the one who told them to steal.

The other minor was reportedly a transferee and is not from Tagbilaran but is now attending his classes at the city public school.

Over this, CPOC presiding officer for the January 22 meeting City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso directed the city police chief, Police Superintendent Patricio Degay to look into the reports. 

We will look into it, Supt. Degay assured even as he reported elevated cases of theft and robberies in the same district and the immediate vicinities of the place where the big city public school occupies. 

Chairman Coto, who relayed his concern over the incident said something has to be done right away. 

“Parents expect their kids to be in school, protected and safe, and then it turns out they are getting to do illegal acts just to be safe from the gang,” he shared his alarm. 

On this, Tagbilaran City Department of Education representatives admitted that gangs used to proliferate in the schools, but have since been disbanded.

“[The gangsterism] has stopped, but in the present reports, it would be looked into again, the DepED representative said.

He also assured that he would bring the matter to the school principal as well as the city schools superintendent. 

“We will look into the reports,” promised a DepEd representative at the CPOC, which also informed the council that they would immediately investigate the leader who was positively identified by the minors involved in the police alarm for theft. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)