MANILA, Philippines- A group of young men were caught threatening drivers along a busy road in Quezon City using long metal poles to extort money. The young men were reportedly “high” on solvent during the incident.

Street boys caught using “pamalo” to extort money from drivers in Quezon Avenue.
Street boys caught using “pamalo” to extort money from drivers in Quezon Avenue.
Photo Credit: Gidget Cuisia
Concerned netizen Gidget Cuisia was able to take snaps of the incident from the window of her office on Tuesday, March 22 at around 2pm. Armed with metal rods, the street boys were seen threatening to strike public and private vehicles of drivers who refuse to give anything. According to Cuisia, no law enforcers were present during the incident.

Motorists beware!!! Right now, 3 young men extorting money from private and public vehicles along Quezon Avenue corner...
Posted by Gidget Cuisia on Monday, March 21, 2016

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Cuisia revealed that one of young men stopped a jeepney and a private vehicle.

Cuisia told ABS-CBN News: "It became apparent that he was threatening to hit the vehicles with the rod if the driver/passenger don't give anything.”

Moreover, Cuisia also told ABS-CBN News that it was her first time to notice such incident in the location.

Cuisia’s post quickly spread like wildfire on social media with over 10,000 shares as of press time.

Early this month, reports revealed that a young girl loitering at Katipunan road threatened to smash a car window after a driver refused to give her money. The unidentified girl was around 12 to 13 years old.

On October 3, 2013, President Benigno Aquino III signed into a law a measure that aims to protect youth offenders and amend the Juvenile Justice System and Welfare Act of 2006.

Still, the new law retained 15 as the minimum age of criminal responsibility. Under this law, a child who is 15 years old or under at the time of the commission of the offense will remain exempt from criminal liability. Instead, the offender must undergo an intervention program of the government.

Due to the alarming rise of crimes involving juveniles, some sectors have urged the Congress to change the provisions on the minimum age of liability. However, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) pointed pointed that children in conflict with the law are also victims.

-Mini, The Summit Express

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