Monday, November 06, 2006 Vagrants fled, not dumped
THREE psychotic vagrants were brought to Barangay Malubog two weeks ago, but it was not anyone’s intention to drop them off there, a Cebu City councilor said.
Councilor Gerardo Carillo explained yesterday that based on his investigation, the Kaohsiung bus went to Malubog to bring home one of the vagrants the Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Task Force picked up last Oct. 17.
Apart from five to seven vagrants and the bus driver, members of the task force were also in the bus.
But when the bus reached Malubog, Carillo said the engine conked out. The vagrants reportedly jumped out of the bus while the driver was repairing the vehicle.
“It’s true that they were in Malubog but there was no intention to dump them there. Nangambak kuno to ang duha o tulo ka vagrants pagkaguba sa bus, according to the driver, and I’m inclined to believe him because his statements synchronized with what the task force members said,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Carillo submitted his incident report to City Administrator Francisco Fernandez for appropriate action.
“It has never been our policy to dump vagrants in mountain barangays or anywhere else. We have always been consistent in helping them seek treatment and giving them opportunities to be normal,” he further said.
When asked if there was any attempt on the part of the task force to look for the vagrants in Malubog, Carillo said the social workers tried to do so.
“When the bus conked out, they didn’t have a choice but to return the vehicle to the garage. But the following day, they went back for the vagrants but they were told na gipanghatod na man daw sa mga barangay officials (the barangay officials escorted the vagrants home),” the councilor said in a phone interview.
Since last July, the anti-mendicancy task force has intensified its campaign to clear the city’s streets of mendicants and vagrants and reunite them with their families.
Others were sent home while others were brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center’s psychiatric ward.
Carillo said that last month’s incident highlights the need for the City to have its own facility for mentally ill patients.
His office has started initial discussions with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. for a possible partnership on the construction of the facility, he said. (LCR)
