The top police official here on Wednesday said extending the curfew for minors will prevent untoward incidents involving the juvenile sector which usually occur in the wee hours of the morning.

Lt. Col. Joeson Parallag said this as he urged the city government to consider implementing longer curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Parallag said it would be unlikely anyway for minors to have activities as early as 4 a.m., except for some instances when they must leave their homes.

The current curfew in the city runs from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. for minors and from midnight up to 4 a.m. for adults.

“Ours is just recommendatory but at the end of the day, it is the city mayor and his advisers that would make the final decision,” he said in mixed English and Cebuano.

Adults usually have “essential” businesses as early as 4 a.m., and even senior citizens also attend early morning mass during this time, he noted.

He added that face-to-face classes are also still not allowed so there is no reason for minors to get up early in the morning and leave their homes when it is still dark.

Meanwhile, Parallag reassured the public that they are still continuously patrolling the streets and places of convergence to ensure that basic health and safety protocols are followed amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Negros Oriental remains under Alert Level 2 until the end of March while nearby Siquijor and Cebu City have been downgraded to Alert Level 1. (PNA)