Parents facing raps after minors caught stealing iron from truck

Authorities rescued a group of minors in Tondo, Manila after they were caught stealing iron from a truck in a video of a netizen.

According to James Agustin's report on "24 Oras," the parents of the youth were called to the police station and will face the charges.

The witness to the incident, Melecio Bernabe, said that at the stop sign, four of the six minors boarded the back of the open truck and started removing the clamp of the iron bars.  Two other minors went to the side of the driver.

“Kinakatakot ko eh yung kinakalas nila, baka kumalas yung bakal, eh delikado,“ he said.

The minors said they sold the iron that they took to a junk shop for P60.

“Mga kabataan po mga nakatira po sa may Aroma Compound po, ang edad po nila ay 12 hanggang 15 years old,” Police Captain Renz Figueroa of Smokey Mountain PCP commander, said.

The parents and relatives of the minors will face charges for violating the anti-child endangerment in relation to Republic Act No. 7610 or anti-child abuse law.

They said they were not aware that their children were involved in theft.

“Hindi po namin sila napapabayaan sa pagkain binibigyan po namin sila ng pera kaso napapabarkada lang po,” one parent said.

“Ang unang boundary ng safety ng kabataaan, sa pamilya at magulang. Kung titignan mo talaga yung mga bata parang tuwang-tuwa pa eh, hindi nila alam yung pwedeng kahinatnan,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Jhun Ibay Jr. said.

The junk shop owner was also invited to the police station and the iron bars were retrieved. The minors will be under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. —Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA News