Oplan Tambay is defacto Martial Law

Nationwide alliance of youth formations, Youth Act Now Against Tyranny (YANAT), joined the funeral protest on the eve of Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo’s burial on Thursday to register condemnation on the recent spate of human rights violations.

Argoncillo was the latest fatality in the Duterte administration’s anti-tambay policy, Oplan Galugad. As of July 2018, the number of arrests grew to 28,000.

The President should be held accountable for invigorating the police into being rabid dogs of injustice by having a reward and quota system, even at the expense of the lives of the Filipino people.

The purge-like approach of Duterte results not only in the death of countless but also of the absence of the government’s sense of justice and humanity. Duterte’s reign of terror spreads over the land as if an undeclared Martial Law has been put into place.

The group also lambasted Philippine National Police for the recent viral photo of a woman, allegedly a drug pusher, forced by some elements of PNP to strip and bend over, exposing her private parts.

“Tumitinding pambababoy ang ginagawa ng kapulisan sa mamamayan, bukod sa paglapastangan sa karapatang pantao at karapatan ng kababaihan. Hindi na tao ang tingin nila sa mga Pilipino, kundi mga hayop,” said Raoul Manuel, YANAT National Convenor.

Likewise, President Duterte’s recent statement that “encourages” the military to kill despite being on the watch of civilians in Marawi City drew flak from the youth.

With his daily pronouncements, the President’s hands get bloodier by the day. Nakapangingilabot na ang lider pa ng isang bansa ang nag-eengganyo ng patayan at brutalidad.

There is no need for the President to wash his bloody hands off the several issues he is facing; his declaration to arrest the tambays resulted to the utter disrespect on human rights, not to mention the countless number of illegally arrested individuals and ultimately the death of Tisoy.

The group also said that the president resorts to just “singlehandedly kill” the victims of this system, instead of focusing on providing sustainable employment and opportunities for the people.

The youth is already growing tired and restless of this system that kills its people daily. We hance call on the youth to join the protests on July 6.

The youth group shall hold a “National Protest Day against Tyranny” on July 6.

Kenji Muramatsu

YANAT Media Liaison

Why condemn tambay operations?

In my teenage years I was a tambay. I grew up in a slum district. The result: I dropped out from school for three years.

Our neighborhood was burned. The family transferred. There was no more tambay. The result: I finished high school then college and became a professional.

Then, why condemn the police efforts to contain tambay let alone enforce existing local laws?

Fritz Quiñanola

Lawyer and retired PNP general