![BE PART OF THE SOLUTION - Mambajao Mayor Yñigo Romualdo urging campus journalists from Camiguin to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, during the Division Schools Press Conference at Yumbing, Mambajao, Camiguin, February 1, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Lorie Carrasco]](https://www.themindanaotoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/National-1-1.jpg)
BE PART OF THE SOLUTION - Mambajao Mayor Yñigo Romualdo urging campus journalists from Camiguin to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, during the Division Schools Press Conference at Yumbing, Mambajao, Camiguin, February 1, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Lorie Carrasco]
MindanaoToday.com | Kids behind theft cases in Camiguin
By: Uriel Quilinguing
MAMBAJAO, Camiguin – Young persons below 18 years old are behind incidents of theft, mostly involving cellular telephones, the town’s chief executive disclosed Thursday, February 1, last week.
On that day, a cellphone was returned to its owner—the sixth to have been recovered within a month this year by members of the Municipal Police Station.
Mayor Yñigo Jesus D. Romualdo revealed the involvement of minors in theft incidents in his welcome message at the opening of a two-day Camiguin division-wide campus journalism competitions at Yumbing National High School.
Romualdo said the suspects will not be placed behind bars, instead their parents would be reminded of their parental responsibilities. He admitted though these kids come from broken families.
He said police would treat the suspects as children in conflict with the law (CICL) and shall turned them over to the state’s social welfare agency.
But the local chief executive lamented that those who lost their valuables, including cellphones, would post on social media instead of reporting the crime to the police.
Ranting on social media that “Mambajao is no longer safe” will not lead to recovery of lost items, he said even as he urged the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) participants to “be part of the solution, not of problem.”
Romualdo said Mambajao is safe for everyone because everything is under control and that theft cases occur just recently and the first time under his watch.
Although actual number of reported theft incidents was not disclosed but the Mambajao MPS, posted online their sixth “successful recovery” of a cellular telephone that was reported stolen.
Lieutenant Benjamin Bacolcol, deputy chief of Mambajao MPS, in an interview over a local radio station here, confirmed that the ages of CICL range from 15 to 17 years old. They are exempted from criminal liability under Republic Act No. 9344, Juvenile Justice and Welfare System Act.
On January 9, this year, the MPS also recovered a Mio125 motorcycle, white-pink color combination, and was turned over to the owner. The motorbike was abandoned at Balintawak Street, Barangay Poblacion of this town. (MT)
###
