Singing on the street is now an offense?

SIDEWALK SINGER. A boy of about 15 attracted the attention of some pedestrians as he sang a love song at an island on Jones Ave. corner Sanciangco St. one afternoon last week. An Ear informer said the boy was shooed away by an angry Citom traffic enforcer. “Nagkanta ra man ang batan-on,” our informer said. “Tungod kay maayog tingog ang bata naay mga mitunol kaniya og pahalipay. Nagdahom ang Citom nga nagpakilimos ang batan-on, wa baya.”

WHAT WAS THE OFFENSE? An eyewitness, a religious minister, wondered what offense did the boy commit. “He was just singing,” he said. “If the intention was to beg, so what, there was no explicit begging.” Another eyewitness said, “At least, hinaguan niyag kanta ang kuwarta nga nadawat niya... wa’y extortion nga nahitabo.”