A councilor in Cebu City has filed a resolution seeking a multi-agency investigation into the alleged deceptive mobilization of minor students who were brought to City Hall during a recent legislative session.
Incident Details
Councilor Mikel Rama, in his proposed resolution, expressed concern over the incident on April 14, 2026, when buses picked up senior high school students and brought them to Plaza Sugbo and the Cebu City Hall grounds. According to Rama, the students were reportedly told they were attending a scholarship orientation but were instead brought to the Sangguniang Panlungsod session, where the controversial accreditation of a private school for the city's scholarship program was being discussed.
Legal Concerns
Rama emphasized that minors are considered a highly protected class under Philippine law. Their participation in activities outside school requires informed parental consent, as per DepEd Order No. 66, s. 2017. He noted that misrepresenting the true purpose of the activity could violate their rights and undermine the validity of parental consent. He also cited provisions of Republic Act No. 7610, which warns against exposing minors to hardship or using them for political purposes, as this could harm child development.
Privacy Issues
The resolution also raised concerns about the reported recording and online posting of images of the students, which may violate Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act) if done without proper consent.
Proposed Investigation
Rama proposed that the matter be referred to the National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division and the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Desks for a thorough fact-finding investigation. He also recommended that the Office of the Ombudsman conduct a separate inquiry to determine if any public officials were involved in organizing the activity that may have violated civil service and anti-graft laws. Additionally, the resolution seeks an investigation by the Department of Education Cebu City Division into the involved school's compliance with regulations governing off-campus activities.
Protection of Minors
Rama stressed that any handling of the case must ensure the protection of the minors' identities and strictly follow confidentiality provisions under child protection and data privacy laws.
This move comes amid heightened tensions in the City Council following debates on the accreditation of the Asian College of Technology International Educational Foundation (ACTIEF) Pit-os Campus, which Rama opposed.
