Minors to be included in ‘anti-tambay’ drive
MANILA — President Duterte wants minors and teenagers to be included in the crackdown on tambays or loiterers, ordering the Philippine National Police (PNP) to take into custody minors who are loitering in the streets to “protect” them against illegal drugs and other threats.
Duterte said he has to implement a campaign against tambays because a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations indicated that around 1.5 million families fell victim to common crime during the first quarter.
He said the campaign would cover children below 18 years old “for their own safety.” Duterte also reversed a PNP order and said loiterers would continue to be called tambays.
“One million? Ipagpalit mo diyan sa p ***** i **** mga tambay diyan na naghihintay lang? Alam mo naman kung bakit ‘yan sila diyan (Will you favor the idle loiterers over the one million victims)?” the President yesterday said during the oath taking of barangay chiefs in Cagayan de Oro City.
“So 18. We do not have specifics. Eighteen, below 18, you arrest the teenagers there around loitering because we have to protect our children. Nagkalat na ang droga, nagkalat na ang lahat (Illegal drugs are rampant),” he added.
Duterte clarified that minors would not be arrested for crimes but would be brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“We are removing the minors, take them into custody, call the DSWD and the barangay, you take care of them,” Duterte said.
“They are not being arrested for any crime. It's for their own good that they are arrested. Because under the (principle of) parens patriae, which is the principal bedrock of protecting people, everyone is weak. We can take custody of the minors to protect them under the principle of parens patriae – the father of the nation,” he added.
Earlier this month, Duterte ordered the PNP to impose stricter measures against loiterers, whom he described as “potential trouble for the public.”
The anti-loitering campaign drew flak after 25-year-old Genesis Argoncillo was killed days after he was arrested for allegedly causing alarm and scandal.
Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives have called for an investigation on the antitambay campaign and the death of Argoncillo.
Duterte also ordered police to disregard criticisms against the anti-loitering campaign and to continue working to ensure the streets are safe, especially at night.
“Mamili kayo: perdition ng ating bayan o mag-inistrikto ako. Hindi na bale ‘yang atake, atake. Talo man kayo (You choose: a country on the road to perdition or I impose strict measures. Never mind criticisms rather than lose to criminality),” the president said.