Mindanaotoday.com | Klarex asks cops to act on Oro gang violence
By: Franck Dick Rosete
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The local government of Cagayan de Oro asked the local police here to look for solutions to resolve the crimes involving gangs, where minors were involved in an act of violence.
This came after a stabbing incident on October 23 in Corrales Street, Barangay 24, here, that took the life of a 13-year-old boy, who was reportedly a gang member, after he was stabbed to death by a fellow youth.
City Mayor Rolando Uy, in a statement released on Monday, October 24, has already ordered Col. Aaron Mandia, the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) chief, to identify all the gangs in the city and its leaders.
“I am asking the gangs, parents of the members, especially the minor gang members to stop your activities because maybe you will regret your actions,” Uy said in vernacular, adding that he is willing to conduct a dialogue with the parents of the gang members.
The Cogon police station, together with the Technical Support Unit Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, has already arrested the person who allegedly stabbed the victim to death.
COCPO identified the suspect as Raul Lumamba, 18, of Barangay Gusa, who was arrested Monday, October 24.
Confiscated from Lumamba was a 10-inch stainless hunting knife including the handle, which was allegedly used in the stabbing.
Apart from the person who stabbed the victim, Maj. Julius Saluta, the Cogon police chief, said in a phone interview on Monday, October 24, that two other suspects, both minors, were also arrested.
He said the arrested minors are also gang members who were present during the incident.
Saluta further disclosed the dead victim was a member of “Kaibigan Lang Po (KLP)” gang and that it has an existing conflict against the “Soy Shit Dem” gang where Lumamba is an alleged member.
City councilor John Michael Seno, who is also the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation president, during the flag-raising program in city hall on Monday, called on the COCPO to work with the city’s youth council in stopping gang violence.
“We, the Sangguniang Kabataan, will help and this venue will also discuss on how to reduce the cases of gang wars in Cagayan de Oro through helping our police,” Seno said in vernacular.
In response, Lt. Col. Evan Viñas, the COCPO spokesperson, thanked the participation of some city officials to resolve the criminality.
Viñas has reiterated that the COCPO, together with its multipliers, have continuously visited different schools to conduct symposiums and dialogue to high school students.
“It’s just so sad that there are youngsters who cannot be convinced as there is something running in their head and their heart,” he said in vernacular.
“Rest assured, that the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office will continuously create interventions to avoid the same incidents,” he added. (MT)
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