Minor involved in Mandaue school vandalism incident

CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue City government has identified the minor who was caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV) vandalizing a public school in the city in the early hours of June 10.

The minor was identified after the city received information from an anonymous individual.

On Thursday, June 18, the mother of the 16-year-old suspect appeared before Mayor Thadeo Ouano. The mayor disclosed that the minor is a resident of Barangay Centro.

As part of the city’s response, the minor and his parent will undergo an intervention program that includes community involvement services and counseling.

To help the minor understand the consequences of his actions and promote responsible behavior, a program will be implemented through the City Social Welfare Services Office (CSWSO).

Based on the report of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), authorities are continuing their investigation into other members of the group who were allegedly involved in similar vandalism incidents in other barangays across the city.

In an interview, Ouano said the minor was the one responsible for vandalizing walls with the word “SOLO.”

The mayor said that the fact that the suspect is a minor remains a challenge in the city’s fight against vandalism.

“Kung minor di man gyud ta ka papriso ana it is against our law,” Ouano said.

However, he said that with the recent developments in the City Council, there is now a proposal from Councilor Jennifer Del Mar that would impose penalties on parents if acts of vandalism are committed by their children in the future.

He added that the city is considering other measures to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again.

Ouano emphasized that the city government will continue monitoring law violators and coordinating with barangay officials to ensure that appropriate sanctions and interventions are carried out.

Meanwhile, as a gesture of appreciation for the community’s cooperation, the mayor awarded a cash reward of P5,000 to the anonymous informant whose tip led to the identification of the minor suspect.

“We are serious in our fight against vandalism. Salamat sa mga Mandauehanon nga mitabang sa pag-ila sa mga responsable,” Ouano said.

“Let’s help keep Mandaue clean, orderly, and respectful of our shared public spaces,” he added.

The mayor also appealed to the public that if they have information regarding vandalism incidents, they should not hesitate to report it to the authorities. (CEBU NEWS)