PNP, LGUs urged: Make ‘tambays’ productive

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units (LGUs) would do better in tweaking their anti-tambay (anti-loitering) campaign by not just apprehending loiterers but also inculcating in them the values of hard work and discipline, Sen. Richard Gordon said yesterday.

Gordon, chairman of the Senate committee on justice, also cautioned PNP personnel to make sure that in rounding up tambays, their rights are not violated.

He recalled that when he was mayor of Olongapo City decades ago, he launched the campaign “bawal ang tamad dito (lazy people are not allowed here)," which had the same effect of minimizing people seen idling outside their homes.

“Municipalities can issue ordinances to that effect. Mayors should push for the positive—the principle is don’t be idle, look for work and be productive,” Gordon told dzBB.

He said people have the right to their own space as long as they do not inconvenience others, cause trouble or misbehave, or violate the law like causing traffic, drinking in the streets, or carry drugs.

President Duterte last week ordered the PNP to round up tambays, saying they were potential troublemakers.

As this developed, at least 212 tambays were rounded up by the Manila Police District (MPD) over the weekend.

MPD Station 2 commander Superintendent Robert Domingo and his men invited for questioning 79 persons last Saturday while Station 2 commander Superintendent Jay Dimaandal and his men rounded up 75 persons in Barangays 105 and 128 in Smokey Mountain from Saturday night up to the early hours of yesterday morning.

At the MPD Station 7 on Abad Santos Street, 12 loiterers were invited for questioning and verification, while 46 others were brought to MPD Station 3 in Sta. Cruz.

Dimaandal said most of those found loitering during the wee hours of morning were from Road 10 at Port Area.

“The invited persons were brought to the station for information and dissemination of city ordinances, which will be strictly implemented in Manila as a sort of crime prevention,” he said.

Domingo, for his part, said there were times when some of those who were invited for verification turned out to be wanted by the law.

“This is an effective measure to deter criminals and take them out of the streets,” he said. 

Earlier, Duterte ordered the authorities to be strict with tambays “as they are potential trouble for the public.” In a speech, he told police to bring to Malacañang those who will refuse to heed the anti-loitering campaign.

For its part, the Southern Police District (SPD) arrested 668 individuals over the weekend for violation of local laws.

Police officers of the SPD’s seven police stations – Pasay, Makati, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Taguig and Pateros – rounded up 214 individuals from 5 a.m. last Friday to the same time yesterday, the SPD said in a statement.

The following police stations made these arrests as of 5 a.m. last Saturday: 18 in Pasay; 10 in Makati; 96 in Parañaque; 38 in Las Piñas; 52 in Muntinlupa; and no arrest in Taguig and Pateros, attributed to round-the-clock police patrol and barangay security personnel.

Meanwhile, as of 5 a.m. yesterday, police officers arrested 454 violators: 70 in Pasay; 44 in Taguig; 80 in Makati; 71 in Parañaque; 21 in Muntinlupa; 149 in Las Piñas, and 19 in Pateros.

Most of those arrested were caught violating ordinances on drinking alcohol in public and curfew.

Others violated laws against smoking in public, going outside their houses half-naked, creating loud noises and urinating in public.

In Quezon City, a total of 344 violators of different ordinances were rounded up by police from 5 a.m. last Saturday until the same time yesterday.

Masambong police apprehended 97 people, including 35 minors who violated discipline hours.

They were followed by the Kamuning police who arrested 59 persons for violating ordinances prohibiting drinking in public spaces and being half-naked. 

Galas police rounded up 44 persons for drinking liquor in public spaces and being half-naked on the streets. 

The other individuals were caught in violation of different ordinances, including jaywalking and curfew. 

Last Saturday, the Quezon City Police Department announced that it apprehended 302 tambays on its first day of intensified anti-criminal operations. – With Rey Galupo, Ghio Ong, Romina Cabrera