7 Internet cafes closed for letting students surf

The Lapu-Lapu City government temporarily padlocked since last month seven Internet cafes across the city that admitted students during class hours.

The move followed a call earlier this year by education officials for the city to intensify the enforcement of a 2006 city ordinance that forbids the cafes to let in students from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on school days.

“We have people who constantly monitor the Internet cafes,” said Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza.

She was referring to special groups like the Barangay Peacekeeping Action team tasked to watch the computer rental shops.

“This shows that we are serious in this campaign,” the mayor said.

Radaza said piso-piso” Internet stations in the city are also covered by the ordinance.

She reminded Internet cafe operators that no minors should be found in their establishments at night.

She, however, said that the Internet cafe watchdog teams have not come upon any case of cyberpornography.

In 2006, the Lapu-Lapu City Council passed an ordinance to regulate public Internet cafes in the city following the arrest of an American national whose home was allegedly used to produce pornographic content for the Internet.

Allowing elementary or high school students into a cafe between 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays will merit the suspension or revocation of an Internet cafe’s business permit, in addition to fines.

For the first offense, a closure of operation will be imposed. A second offense entails a six-month closure, while a third offense will mean the cancellation of the business permit.

School officials insisted that the provision be included to prevent students’ studies from being affected, citing incidents when students cut classes to go to Internet cafes to play video games.