ANGELES CITY – Petty thieves like pickpockets, snatchers, hookers, holduppers and hustlers that prey mostly on foreigners frequenting the infamous Fields Avenue in Barangay Balibago here are predominantly from adjacent Barangay Dau.
This was revealed by Balibago Barangay Captain Tony Mamac last week during an interview at the Fortune Restaurant here who said the bulk of petty criminals that they have apprehended were surprisingly from Dau, which is identifi ed as the primary business district of neighboring Mabalacat City, who cross over to his village to commit their nefarious activities.
Punto! tried to get the reaction of Dau Barangay Captain Atlas Morales but he was not at the barangay hall and no one there knew his whereabouts. Calls at his mobile phone were responded with” Sorry your call cannot be completed…” or some such.
Mamac disclosed that the problem is very alarming considering that the parents and guardians of minors that they have arrested were even the ones who pushed their children into prostitution and petty crimes. He said upon apprehension, the minors undergo medical examination including pap smear test before they are turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD).
Mamac expressed disappointment that there is no concrete program from the city for the welfare of the erring minors. “The city should have a concrete program for them,” Mamac said adding that most of those arrested if not all of them return to their old ways as soon as they get out from the custody of authorities.
He suggested that “a halfway center should be established for consolidation for 10 days where they will undergo evaluation, orientation and training before being released back to society.”
Mamac said there are 2,200 registered businesses in Balibago including bars, hotels and restaurants.
