Anti-tambay drives to become regular
Cocpo says anti-tambay campaign may have lessened the number of street crimes
The Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) is looking into whether street offenses and other crimes have declined due to the crackdown against loiterers which officially started last Thursday, June 28.
Cocpo spokesperson Superintendent Mardy Hortillosa II said policemen will continue to intensify the anti-tambay campaign and will make it routine if found to be a factor in crime reduction in the city.
Ninety-one tambays were rounded up on June 28, the campaign’s first night of implementation.
The tambays were taken into custody for violations of the 1995 city ordinance prohibiting the drinking of alcoholic beverages in public places.
The number significantly dropped on Friday, June 29, with only 14 arrested. No one was arrested over the weekend.
“Cocpo is studying if there is a decrease of crime. If we found out that these operations contributed to the decrease, Cocpo will strengthen it and make it as our regular intervention, ”Hortillosa said.
Daily crime volume showed that 12 incidents were recorded on June 28, it increased the following day to 13, it dropped again to 12 on June 30 and seven on July 1.
On the other hand, the data from the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10) revealed that more tambays were also rounded up across the region for violating local ordinances.
Over 600 were arrested for various offenses on the third week of intensified police operations against violators of local ordinances and special laws in the region, mostly in Iligan City, Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro.
Since June 13, authorities have apprehended 179 violators for drinking in prohibited places; 88 for smoking in public places; 292 for violation of curfew ordinance and 50 for alarm and violation of other laws and ordinances.
PRO-Northern Mindanao director Chief Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb said police presence in crime-prone areas and places of convergence will continue.
“This is purposely to address the nationwide issue of increasing street crimes,”he said.
However, Pacleb clarified that street crimes across the region have significantly dropped since the declaration of martial law and intensified anti-illegal drug operations.
“We just have to sustain our efforts to keep our street safe and crimefree,”Pacleb said.
“We are constantly reminding our personnel to strictly observe operational protocols, adhere to the rule of law and respect for human rights,”he added.
PRO-10 spokesperson Superintendent Surki Serenas said the adjudication process is the problem and not the detention facilities for arrested violators.
He said the process of filing cases in court takes time which also affects the efficiency of the adjudication process.
“Arrested offenders must not be detained for more than 12 hours for light offenses. If that reglamentary period expires and no case has been filed, the arrested offender must be released,”Serenas said.