Govt partly to blame for existence of 'batang hamog' — group

A party-list group advocating children’s rights on Wednesday blamed poverty and government neglect for the proliferation of ‘batang hamog,’ or juvenile delinquents who roam the streets and prey on motorists. In a statement, the group Akap-Bata said “social ills” force these children to commit deviant behaviors. "These children are victimized first by poverty, second by government neglect, and third by the criminal syndicates who use these children to get-away with crimes,” said Arlene Brosas, the group’s national secretary general. “Crimes and deviant behaviors committed by minors are borne out of social ills,” she added as she urged the government “to study and address the root cause of children conflict with the law.” The statement was released following the allegedly mugging experienced by two boys at the hands of a bus driver and his conductor after the teenagers supposedly threw a rock at the bus’ windshield, nearly shattering it. The Commission on Human Rights is currently investigating the case. The Akap-Bata group said the government should protect the children and not punish them. “We find it inhumane and cruel that government agencies are so much willing to punish the children yet they are so idle and complacent when it comes to the corrupt, the human rights violators and those who abuse their powers!” it said. - Rouchelle Dinglasan/KBK, GMA News