Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Wednesday called on the youth to avoid being hooked on illegal drugs.
He said this as seven young men, with ages ranging from 18 to 22, surrendered to police after being seen in a viral video cursing President Rodrigo Duterte while smoking marijuana in a drug session.
READ: 7 who cursed Duterte in viral pot session video surrender to police
“Let this be a lesson to everyone especially sa ating mga kabataan na ang paggamit ng droga ay walang maidudulot na mabuti at masisira lang ang future mo,” he told reporters in a press briefing.
(Let this be a lesson to everyone especially to our youth that using illegal drugs won’t do you any good and will only destroy your future.)
“Ngayon nagsurrender na sila (They have surrendered now), and I think they feel very sorry that they have done that,” he said on the seven surrenderers.
Albayalde said having a criminal record for such an early age could hamper efforts to look for a job, among other opportunities.
“You could just imagine at the age of 21, 22, may kaso ka na. Paano ka makakahanap ng trabaho kung [at that age] may kaso ka na sa korte?” he said.
(You could just imagine at the age of 21 or 22, and you already have a case. How will you land a job if at that age, you already have a case in the court?) /je