Manila to strictly enforce curfew

Alarmed by the frequent police reports of youth gang wars in the capital, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza ordered barangay officials yesterday to revive and strictly implement the curfew on minors.

Atienza instructed Barangay Bureau director Norberto Enriquez to direct all the barangay chairmen in the city to re-enforce Manila City Ordinance 8046 which strictly prohibited minors (17 years old and below) from loitering in the streets from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m.

Under the ordinance, only minors running legitimate and important errands, students of night schools or working students are allowed to stay outside the late hours.

However, young people have been seen loitering the streets and hanging out in groups. Some of these groups have been engaging in gang wars.

The gang wars often take place in Pandacan, Estrada street in San Andres, and Sta. Ana.

In one news report, a group in Manila was even caught in a turf-war with boys from Makati City at the boundary line of Tejeros street.

Atienza has instructed the Western Police District (WPD) to intensify its patrol around these identified areas.

"To prove that we mean business, I want the barangay and the police to intensify night patrols to prevent more street rumbles from erupting. Police and barangay tanod visibility is a big deterrent not only to street gang wars, but other criminal elements," the mayor added. – Evelyn Macairan