Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has said that honest members of the community have nothing to fear with the government’s ongoing crackdown against late-night loiterers (“tambay” in Filipino).
In an interview broadcast today at DZMM, Roque said that the criticism leveled against the campaign does not bother the government.
He said in Filipino: “The president [Rodrigo Duterte] is here to enforce the law. The police are just becoming more visible. [They are after] those who are breaking [public] ordinances, those who drink, those who are noisy — these are the people whom the police are after.”
But apparently, if your neighbors like you, then you will have nothing to fear.
Said Roque: “But if people aren’t doing anything wrong, and they are not known for being dishonest members of the community, then they don’t have to worry.”
Previously, Senator Francis Pangilinan reminded the Philippine National Police (PNP) that vagrancy is not a crime. In a statement released earlier this week, he said: “To those who are enforcing the law, loitering is no longer a crime. Republic Act 10158 has decriminalized vagrancy, amending Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code.”
In a subtle shade aimed at the PNP, he said: “You are law enforcers, understand and implement it [the law] properly.”
Francis Escudero, another senator, agreed with Pangilinan.
He tweeted yesterday: “We already amended the Revised Penal Code and decriminalized vagrancy by virtue of RA 10158 over six years ago for being discriminatory and anti-poor. I wonder what is the basis of the PNP in arresting loiterers and what they are charging them with.”
We already amended the Revised Penal Code and decriminalized vagrancyby virtue of RA 10158 over 6 years ago for being discriminatory and anti-poor. I wonder what is the basis of the PNP in arresting “tambays” and what they are charging them with…
— Chiz Escudero (@SayChiz) June 19, 2018
The former solicitor general of the country, Florin Hilbay, has also weighed in.
Hilbay, the lawyer of fierce Duterte critic and jailed senator Leila de Lima, tweeted: “What’s wrong with arresting loiterers? It empowers the police to arrest anyone they don’t like; it’s a virtual license to harass and extort from citizens… women are made particularly vulnerable. By the way, it’s also unconstitutional.”
what’s wrong with arresting tambays?
it empowers the police to arrest anyone they don’t like; it’s a virtual license to harass and extort from citizens; powerless citizens are the only likely targets; women are particularly made more vulnerable.
btw it’s also unconstitutional.
— florin hilbay (@fthilbay) June 19, 2018
Critics have said that the anti-loitering drive is reminiscent of what occurred during Martial Law in 1972 —1981, a time when allegedly numerous human rights violations and illegal arrests occurred.
According to activist group Karapatan: “Such acts can even be reminiscent of Marcos’ martial law when curfews were enforced by his brutal state forces. [It] is very arbitrary, giving broad and vast powers to the police in accosting anyone on the streets at night time.”
The word tambay was derived from “stand-by.” Around 5,500 loiterers have been arrested since last week as a form of “crime prevention.”
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