4 boys in bungled bank robbery turned over to DSWD

MANILA, Philippines - Four teenagers caught breaking into a bank in Caloocan City at past midnight Saturday were turned over to the custody of the city’s social welfare department yesterday.

Police Officer 3 Ferdinand Velasquez said the boys, aged 14 to 16, are now in the care of Yakap Bata, a center for minors in conflict with the law. The boys, who call themselves “Batang Dilim (Children of Darkness), admitted their crime.

Velasquez said they are still trying to determine if the boys acted on their own, had help from adults or ties with a criminal gang.

Under the juvenile justice law, Republic Act 9344, persons under the age of 18 who are in conflict with the law but acted without discernment are exempted from criminal liability.

Police said crime syndicates are exploiting this law by using minors to carry out crimes.

Senior Police Officer 1 Noli Alvis earlier said the police would still file charges against the boys and it would be up to the fiscal to decide whether to push through with the case or to turn over the suspects to the city social welfare department.

The boys entered the bank by cutting a hole in the galvanized iron roof. They were caught still clutching four computer monitors they stole from the bank manager’s office. They failed to open the bank’s vault.