LESS than two months before Christmas, the top police official in Davao City has directed the different police stations to rescue children who will be found caroling on the streets.
Police Senior Superintendent Alexander Tagum, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director, issued the directive to prevent the children from figuring in traffic accidents.
“Kana sila gina-rescue nato na sila kay at risk sila pero we have to keep them away from the streets, kay hazardous man na sa ilaha, madisgrasya, mabangaan sila (We rescue them because they are at risk so we have to keep them away from the streets because it is hazardous as they might be hit by cars),” Police Senior Inspector Lilibeth Remolar, Women and Children’s Protection Desk Police chief, said during the AFP-PNP press conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel Wednesday, November 7.
”Sa atong mga stations, last two weeks ago pa, gi-direct na ni Superintendent Alexander Tagum atong mga station commanders na i-rescue gyud ning mga bataa. Keep them away from the streets kay para dili sila madisgrasya (Tagum directed station commanders to rescue the children to prevent accidents),” Remolar said.
Children caroling on the streets are a common sight in the city during the holiday season. Whenever the traffic light turns red, they would stand on the jeepney's footstep to sing Christmas songs while others would knock on car windows to beg for money.
Remolar is encouraging the public to report to their office those children seen roaming around the streets caroling or begging.
Rescued children will be turned over to the Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office’s Quick Response Team of Children’s Concern (QRTCC) near San Pedro Police Station or depending on the location where the children were rescued as every barangay has a social services department catering to rescued children.