Stop drive vs tambays, rights group urges PNP

THE Human Rights Watch ( HRW) on Tuesday urged the Philippine National Police ( PNP) to immediately end its campaign against tambay or loiterers, saying it traumatizes communities already reeling from the drug war campaign.

“The PNP should immediately end a crime prevention campaign that has disproportionately targeted ‘ loiterers’ in low- income areas of Manila and other cities,” the international human rights group said in a statement.

Phelim Kine, HRW deputy Asia director, said the campaign threatens detainees’ health and safety.

Since the PNP started the campaign on June 13, around 8,000 people in Metro Manila have been arrested and detained in facilities that are “dangerously overcrowded,” HRW added.

Usually, these loiterers have been caught for violating minor offenses such as breaking curfew hours, drinking in public places, or for roaming the streets half-naked.

On June 18, Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo died under police custody in Novaliches, three days after he was arrested for “alarm and scandal.”

Autopsy revealed that Argoncillo died from multiple blunt force trauma on his neck, head, and upper extremities due to homicide.

Two fellow detainees are currently facing murder charges, but Argoncillo’s family suspects that police brutality was involved.

“The PNP are again demonstrating their preference for wielding fear, intimidation, and arbitrary arrest to target vulnerable communities rather than respect for the rule of law,” Kine added, reiterating that torture and other ill forms of treatment are commonly experienced by detainees.