Six youth offenders who bolted from the Regional Rehabilitation Center for the Youth in Argao town by scaling the fence last Friday night are still at large.
Eppie Partosa, the supervising social worker of the rehabilitation center, said the youth offenders escaped during a home visit program.
Partosa said they discovered the missing detainees only during headcount that night. There are 64 youth offenders inside the facility.
Offenders are allowed to see their parents and relatives if they show good standing for three months inside the center.
“Mura man gud ni og reward para nila. Mi-eskapo tingali sila kay gipang-mingaw sa ilang mga ginikanan tungod kay sagad kanila wala’y ginikanan nga miduaw atol sa pagpahigayon nga Family Day,” Partosa said.
The RRCY, which is located in barangay Candabong, Argao, is home to children in conflict with the law, including those who are already convicted. These minors’ sentence can be suspended in exchange for their stay and rehabilitation at the RRCY.
She added that depending on the children’s performance, attitude and behavior inside the facility, their sentences can also be commuted to community work before being released back to their families.
Viviana Horvath, RRCY Center head, said this is the only rehabilitation center for the youth in Region 7 that serves as halfway home for the youth who will undergo rehabilitation while waiting for the results of their cases.
According to Horvath, most cases the children are facing are rape, theft and sniffing rugby. — Garry B. Lao/BRP