BAGUIO CITY – The City Prosecutor’s Office expressed deep concern over a significant surge in the involvement of minors as suspects in various criminal cases during the last quarter of 2023.
In a press release issued today, city prosecutor Conrado V. Catral revealed that out of the 347 complaints investigated by the office during the said period, 59%, or 203, involved suspects who are minors.
The situation becomes more alarming when focusing on inquest proceedings, where 30 out of the 63 complaints had minors as suspects.
This revelation raises questions about the factors contributing to the increasing trend of juvenile involvement in criminal activities.
Catral emphasized that the office filed 203 informations related to complaints received in the quarter, and of the 63 new complaints subject to inquest proceedings, 74 informations were also filed with the appropriate courts.
The crimes investigated by the City Prosecutor’s Office varied, with violations of Batas Pambansa Bilang 22 (Bouncing Check Law) leading with 78 cases, followed by estafa with 68, and theft with 30.
Other offenses included violations of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) with 17 cases, child protection laws with 12, and a mix of rape, carnapping, illegal recruitment, robbery, violation of tax laws, and homicide, each with varying numbers of cases.
Breaking down the filed informations, 60 were for violation of the Bouncing Check Law, 45 for other criminal offenses, 33 for estafa, 21 for theft, and a range of cases for different offenses such as rape, VAWC, child protection laws, cybercrime, illegal recruitment, homicide, robbery, and illegal gambling.
In inquest proceedings, 18 cases were related to the violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law, 16 for other criminal offenses, and 15 for theft.
The remaining cases covered charges like rape, VAWC, child protection laws, cybercrime, homicide, illegal recruitment, robbery, and illegal gambling, each with varying frequencies.
Following the results of the inquest proceedings, 32 informations were filed for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law, 15 for theft, 14 for other criminal offenses, and additional cases for charges like rape, VAWC, child protection laws, cybercrime, homicide, illegal recruitment, and illegal gambling.
During the same period, the City Prosecutor’s Office filed three informations in court out of the 23 motions for reconsideration or cases subjected to re-investigation, reflecting the office’s commitment to thorough examination and due process.
The City Prosecutor’s Office, alongside law enforcement agencies, is now faced with the challenging task of addressing the root causes behind the surge in juvenile involvement in criminal activities and implementing strategies to prevent further escalation of such incidents.
Community awareness and engagement are crucial elements in developing effective solutions to protect the city’s youth and ensure a safer environment for all residents.
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