By Hilda Austria/PNA
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) is alarmed over the increasing number of children in conflict with the law (CICL) in the province.
Senior Insp. Ria Tacderan, PPPO public information officer, disclosed they have recorded 232 CICL in 2016, which rose to 260 in 2017, and 265 last year, excluding unreported cases.
Tacderan said commonly committed offenses of CICLs are petty theft and rape cases.
“Rape cases involving minors as offenders amounted to 85 in 2016, a total of 75 in 2017, and 80 in 2018, while there were 44 in 2016, a total of 33 in 2017, and 36 in 2018 who were involved in theft,” she said in an interview Friday.
The number of CICLs involved in illegal drugs numbered 16 in 2016, which dropped to 10 in 2017, but increased to 28 in 2018, she added.
Tacderan expressed alarm over the trend, especially as the delinquents are 15 years old and below.
Based on 2018 data, seven of the CICLs were aged six to nine while 20 were between 10 years and 12 years, and 171 were between 13 years and 15 years.
“It is high time to open the eyes of the parents that discipline really begins at home. How will the teacher discipline them if the parents would not discipline them first and look after them?” she added.
As part of its intervention program, the Pangasinan police conducts regular forum with children in their schools, Tacderan said.
“We visit them and explain to them various laws, especially their rights as children or youths,” she said.
