Boy ‘rescued’ in drug raid worries for ailing father

The police offered him to stay at their camp to divert him from selling drugs, but the 14-year-old boy refused the offer.

He said he wanted to go back to Danao City to take care of his ailing father.

Gino (not real name) was rescued by elements of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) during an anti-drug operation in barangay Looc, Thursday noon.

“Mouli lang ko sa amo, sir, way moatiman ni papa (I’ll just go home because no one will take care of my father),” said a teary-eyed Gino.

Two packs of suspected shabu were taken from his possession when police frisked him while in the house of brothers Jeffrey and Jestoni Bataluna.

The warrant issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Teresita Galanida was the basis of the police search.

But both suspects were not around.

Chief Insp. Germano Mallari, who led the operation, offered Gino a job as an errand boy at their office in Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City.

Gino, however, refused it as he cannot afford to leave his ailing father.

“Way mopakaon ni papa didto sa amo, sir (No one will feed my father at home),” the boy said.

Mallari offered to give him P500 a week with meals, provided that he should stay at the office.

Gino was the third of the four siblings.

Their mother died a few years ago while his father was ill for more than two years now.

“Di na man kaayo makalakaw si papa kay nay sakit(My father couldn’t walk already because of his illness),” Gino told Cebu Daily News.

His two elder siblings are rarely home as they have their own girlfriends, and one of them is pregnant.

He studied only up to grade 3.

When police caught him with a small canister with two packs of suspect shabu inside, he tried to resist.

“Maluoy mo, sir, ayaw ko dakpa (Have pity on me, sir. Don’t arrest me),” the boy pleaded.

He also refused to divulge his source of illegal drugs, but only mentioned a certain “Padrex” in Highway as the owner of it.

Gino not only sells drugs but also drives a trisikad to provide for his father’s needs.

After learning that he was arrested by the police, some of his trisikad passengers took pity on him.

“Siya man na akong sakyan pirme sa eskwelahan (I always ride on his trisikad on my way to school),” a female high school student said.

She didn’t know that Gino has been involved in the illegal drugs trade.

Based on Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act of 2006, 15-year-olds and below cannot be charged of any crime and the police should turn them over to their nearest relatives with the presence of a social worker.

According to Gino’s relatives, he sometimes asked them for food for him and his ailing father.

Because of the existing law, Mallari said they turned over Gino to his relatives in Danao with the hope that their advice will be taken into consideration.

Gino has a policewoman relative assigned at Danao City police station who promised to take care of the boy, said Mallari.

Due to the strict implementation of RA 9334, Mallari said they never used the term “arrested” on Gino, but used “rescued” instead.