PASAY PEACE AND ORDER COUNCIL IN A HUDDLE WITH CITY SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT

Pasay Police Mounts Drive vs. Batang Hamog

By: Teddy Cho and Ver Garcia

            Scheduled visits of  USA Pres. Barack Obama is on April 28, 2014 in the Philippines. With advance party landed an aircraft at the Cultural Center of the Phils. Will the US Pres. Barack Obama pay a courtesy call at the Pasay City Mayors office?

The Pasay Police has renewed its drive against so-called “batang hamog” who pose a threat to motorists and are allegedly involved in bukas-kotse and robbery incidents in the city.

Pasay Mayor Antonino Calixto said that the intensified campaign of the Pasay PNP is very timely as the City gears up for the 23rd World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia this coming May 21 to 23 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), CCP Complex in Pasay.

“We are not only focusing our efforts on beautification projects that will visually enhance our City but we are also concerned with the safety of our guests, tourists, motorists, and commuters,” Calixto said.

The groups’ modus operandi consist of looking for unlocked cars that are caught in the traffic while locked cars are shaken prompting the driver to step out and these children proceeds to loot whatever is inside the vehicle.

Pasay Chief of Police Sr. Supt. Florencio Ortilla said that they are conducting series of round up operation for minors like “batang hamog," who are known to attack vehicles stuck in traffic. Most of these children are aged 7- 16.

Ortilla, during the recent Peace and Order Council Meeting, said that those rounded up were turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development because there were minors.

“Gusto ko pong ibalita sa inyo na malaki ang nabawas sa mga batang hamog dito sa lungsod ng Pasay lalo na sa CCP area dahil hinuhuli po natin. Ang meron na lang ay sa lungsod ng Maynila,” Ortilla said without giving the exact number of children that they rounded up.

                              The Batang Hamog Dance Group

Earlier, the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations expressed support to the operation of the local police against batang hamog that are allegedly involved in a series of thievery in jeepney terminals in Pasay. Some of those rounded-up were also solvent addicts. (VerGarciaBlogs)