Cops to haul off vendors of porno VCDs

Police have vowed hard strike against vendors of bold video cassette discs following complaints from the public of rampant selling of pornographic VCDs in the streets of Manila.

Sta. Cruz police station chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula ordered his men to regularly conduct anti-pornographic operations along Raon street in Quiapo where bold VCDs were reportedly sold even to minors.

The operations have resulted in the apprehension of eight vendors and the confiscation of some 144 bold VCDs. Cases of violation of anti-smut ordinance were filed against the vendors, according to Sapitula. He also directed Plaza Miranda police community precinct commander Senior Inspector Rodolfo Jamoralin to assign two beat patrolers to monitor the area against putting on display and selling bold VCDs.

Plaza Miranda, Raon, Ronquillo and Benavidez streets in Quiapo are the places where bold VCDs are openly sold at P100 per three pieces. Moralists have condemned the apparent laxity of the police to go against the vendors of these items whose covers showing nude models doing sexual acts are prominently displayed and feasted upon even by minors.

Sapitula said these bold VCD vendors, dubbed as "snipers," were ambulant ones who clandestinely sell their banned wares from place to place to avoid detection.

Sapitula vowed to haul off these vendors to neutralize the selling of bold VCDs.

Meanwhile, the drive against all forms of pornographic materials openly sold in the streets of Manila has resulted in the arrest of two persons and the seizure of some 2,200 copies of pornographic tabloids. – Nestor Etolle