BARANGAY Tejero in Cebu City has long been facing a persistent illegal drug problem, with local officials expressing heightened concern over the involvement of minors in the trade.
Barangay Captain Harold Seno said on Monday, March 24, 2025, that children as young as 10 years old are being used to sell drugs.
Seno attributed this situation primarily to poverty, saying that the lack of economic opportunities pushes individuals, including minors, towards drug dealing.
He believes the solution lies in stricter laws, specifically targeting minors involved in illegal drugs, and the provision of sustainable livelihood programs within the community.
“Even before I became barangay captain, Tejero was already red-tagged for drugs,” Seno said in Cebuano, referencing the Cebu City Police Office’s classification of the barangay.
He lamented that despite their participation in national anti-drug campaigns like Oplan Bulabog, the community-based drug rehabilitation Program, and the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council, children continue to be exploited in the drug trade because they face limited legal repercussions.
According to Seno, the legal limitations surrounding minors hinder the barangay’s ability to implement effective rehabilitation and protective measures.
Their current actions are mostly limited to informing parents and documentation.
Seno emphasized the need for greater support from the local government unit and other government agencies to effectively combat the problem. He also pointed out the lack of resources for their local security personnel.
Watchlist
Tejero Councilor Nino Lao, chairman of the peace and order committee, corroborated Seno’s statement. He revealed that their watchlist includes 10 minors involved in selling shabu.
While the barangay saw 200 drug surrenderers previously, Lao noted a concerning trend.
“The problem is that most of those we monitor are children who sell drugs,” he said.
Lao further highlighted the weak implementation of the process for turning over arrested minors to the Department of Social Welfare and Services.
Amid these challenges, the barangay conducts house-to-house information drives as part of their anti-drug efforts.
Seno also initiated a program to provide five kilos of rice to drug surrenderers to encourage them to abandon the illegal activity.
However, both officials stressed the urgent need for stronger laws concerning minors involved in the illegal drug trade.
“The law really needs to change because we in the barangay have difficulty implementing it if minors involved in illegal drugs can just be released,” Seno concluded. / CDF