Twenty children rescued from sniffing sealant

CEBU, Philippines - Twenty street children at risk of possible use of volatile substances were rescued in Mandaue City on Tuesday afternoon.

The rescue operation was conducted by police operatives and barangay tanods.

According to Police Officer 1 Aisa Gocotano of Centro Police Station, they rescued the children upon the mandate of Senior Superintendent Mariano Natu-el Jr., chief of the Mandaue City Police Office.

Natu-el said that the Office of the City Mayor reported presence of the minors.

The rescued children, aged 9 to 15, were playing at the old public market of the city.

Gocotano said that the area had some pouches of empty sealants which she suspected were sniffed by the minors.

She said that some of the minors' parents were at home while the others have none at all.

According to Gocotano, some of the minors were in contact with the law while the others were rescued for the first time. She also said that some of them were allegedly involved in theft.

"Naa'y uban ana nila nangawat og groceries sa open nga sakyanan," Gocotano said.

The rescued children were already turned over to the City Social Welfare and Services Office.

She said that police personnel will be roving around the old public market so that the street children will not go back to the area and to prevent them from sniffing volatile substances.

Police operatives also arrested a man who was sniffing a volatile substance near the rescued children.

Michael Ardo, 31, who was caught in the act sniffing sealant, violated City Ordinance 12-2011-668 otherwise known as Illegal Use of Volatile Substance, police said.

Ardo will have to pay a fine of P1,000 or be imprisoned for a month because of his violation. — Jave A. Matugas (FREEMAN)