|
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Police rescue minors working in scrap yard
Police rescued from their employer yesterday at least 18 minors, including a pregnant 17-year-old girl.
Most of these minors were from Hinubaan, Negros Occidental and were taken to Inayawan, Cebu City to work for the scrap iron yard of Rustom Ignacio.
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 intelligence and investigation officer Rex Derilo said they acted on a complaint of a parent of one of the minors.
Help
The parent came from Hinubaan. She went to the CIDG 7 office with a barangay councilor to ask for help in rescuing the children.
In an interview, Rosana Mahinay said her neighbors had children working for Ignacio and had sought their barangay officials’ help about their children.
But it was only Mahinay who came to Cebu because most of the parents do not have money for the fare.
The parents learned about the children’s plight after a neighbor visited her child at Ignacio’s place.
Mahinay said one Vencio Hugo, who came from a neighboring barangay, recruited the minors.
They were told the children will be working for a plastic factory in Cebu City. To their surprise, the kids were told to work at a scrap iron yard from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. for only P50 a day.
They get food from the canteen at the yard and charge it against their meager pay.
They were also treated like prisoners because they are not allowed to go out of the compound.
Derilo said Ignacio has more than 100 employees but they only rescued the minors.
Police will get sworn statements from the minors to use in filing charges against Ignacio and Hugo.
Ignacio will be charged with violation of RA 7610 or the Child Protection Act for abusing and exploiting minors.
Hugo will face two charges, one for violation of RA 7610 and another for violation of RA 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. (MBG)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 13, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
