Kiko tells PNP chief Dela Rosa to target syndicates, not children, calling police work "poor and sloppy"

Manila, Philippines – Opposition senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan told the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday to go after syndicates exploiting children instead of imposing a nationwide curfew.

This was the statement of Pangilinan in reaction to PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s plan to support the plan of nationwide curfew for minors.

Imposing curfew for children would prevent syndicates from using them to commit crimes.

“Why are police anti-crime efforts almost always focused on children? Should not PNP chief Bato focus on syndicates exploiting children? It is a crime to use children, especially for crime, just as it is a crime for parents to neglect their children,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan authored the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, which is the law that exempts young criminals from punishment even if they had committed heinous crimes.

According to Dela Rosa, this crime committed by children has always been the “source of frustration” for the police since then.

Earlier, this law got criticism for allowing minors commit crimes as the several groups calls on to revise the stupid law.

Dela Rosa even cited that drug lords used children playing online computer games to deliver or become the “courier” of illegal drugs. 

Meanwhile, Pangilinan said that going after the children instead of the syndicates disregard “poor and sloppy police work”

Even in the example he gave, of the drug lord in Davao City who uses children playing online computer games to distribute illegal drugs, shouldn’t the drug lord be blamed and arrested instead?” he said.

Bagong Henerason party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy had earlier proposed a 10.pm. to 5am, this plan will keep preventing minors off the street.

 Source: Philstar