Photo from Juna Dicdican

CEBU — Four students allegedly broke into the principal's office of the Cawayan Elementary School in Dalaguete town in Cebu and stole laptops, tablets, and some grocery items.

The school principal reported on Tuesday morning that the items were taken from his office. The school caretaker noticed that the front door of the office had been "forcibly opened," said PMaj. Kenneth Albotra, officer in charge of Dalaguete police.

Authorities also saw that the wooden braces of the bathroom adjacent to the principal’s office were detached.

Upon assessment, 13 tablets with the Department of Education logo were missing, including 3 blue computer laptops, 3 blue PC tablets, and assorted grocery items.  

Valued at P143,000, the items were later abandoned in a shrubbery area. Authorities retrieved them hours later with the help of a barangay official. 

They successfully tracked down the alleged culprits who are supposedly students at the school. They are all males, with ages between 15 and 17.  

The students were positively identified by the Barangay Protection Security Officers who allegedly saw them around the school premises that morning.

The students will not be formally charged with any criminal liability because they are minors. Instead, they are considered children in conflict with the law for robbery. 

They will be sent to a homecare facility.

Albotra said the Department of Social Welfare and Development issued a certificate of discernment that certifies that the minors can already distinguish right from wrong.