Tourists warned: Stay away from minors in markets

BAGUIO CITY – Authorities warned  tourists in this summer capital to stay away from minors at the public and night markets as they have  been identified as culprits in many pickpocket incidents.  

Stakeholders in the city’s public market here raised concern on increase of minors roaming the areas saying they have become bolder as they do their illegal activities in the dead of night.

Representatives of several associations of market and night market vendors informed the officials who attended the recent inter-agency meeting held at city hall agencies must do something to prevent  proliferation of minor offenders in the market and night market areas to reduce pickpocket incidents.

The city council committee on market, trade and commerce chaired by councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. initiated an inter-agency meeting to gather inputs from stakeholders on how to improve the public market, a show window of the city.

 Supt. Lauriano Alexis Mariñas, city police deputy director for administration , said coordination is being done by police with City Social Welfare and Development Office to prevent minor offenders in the market and night market areas.

He said numerous minor offenders had been apprehended by law enforcers and turned over to to  Balenben, Irisan City Social Welfare and Development Office but offenders easily escape from the government facility and go back to their illegal activities in the market.

Officers of night vendor associations said offenders are usually the ones responsible for pickpocket incidents in the market, saying their presence beyond curfew hours should not be allowed to reduce robbery.                   The BCPO official said operatives will try to increase their visibility in the market and night market areas and exert efforts to reduce presence of minor offenders to minimize robbery.

He urged barangay tanods and marshals of associations to be on alert for presence of minor offenders.

Yangot  urged market vendor associations to raise  issues and concerns with city officials.