Authorities apprehended 682,340 Metro Manila residents since it began in June 2018 the implementation of the government’s campaign against bystanders or loiterers violating local ordinances.
Based on the data released by the National Capital Region Police Office on Wednesday, the Quezon City Police District got the highest number of apprehension numbering to 407,468 followed by Eastern Police District (127,590) and Northern Police District (53,507) during the eight-month period of police operations.
The Manila Police District, on the other hand, apprehended 53,039 individuals while the Southern Police District posted 40,736 apprehensions.
Most of these individuals were caught smoking in public places and conveyances (169,521 total), violating the curfew hours for minors (41,648), loitering the streets half naked (38,493) and drinking on the streets (32,163).
The apprehensions were made during series of police operations in the National Capital Region from June 13, 2018 up to 5 a.m. of Jan. 23.
NCRPO records showed that of these 682,340 violators, 447,097 have just been warned while 99,402 of them were charged in court and 135,841 were fined.
Metro Manila police director Guillermo Eleazar assured the public that street bystanders would not be picked up by the police as long as they follow local ordinances on loitering.
He said they will continue their police operations to ensure peace and order in the community.
Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde had mentioned that police have yet to receive any complaint of human rights violations since their intensified operations.
“We insist on violation of rights when in fact not a single person has come to our office and complained that their rights were violated,” he said.
But in July 2018, then SPD director Tomas Apolinario Jr. ordered the relief of two police officers assigned in Makati City for alleged mishandling of persons arrested for violating local ordinances.
The two officers were relieved for alleged abuse of discretion of authority when they rounded up night bystanders in their respective area of responsibility and brought them to their police precinct for verification even without valid violation of city ordinances.
President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2018 initiated a campaign ordering the police to go against street loiterers or idlers to ensure a peaceful community, especially at night.
But the Chief Executive reminded that the police should arrest only those violating municipal or city ordinances like Urinating and Drinking in Public Places, Half Naked, Making Loud Noise, and Curfew of Minors, among others.
Duterte clarified he never ordered law enforcement agents to arrest the so-called tambays, saying as a lawyer, he was fully aware of the rights of every person and clearly stated under the constitution that loitering was not a crime, but explained there were ordinances to be followed.
He said as the “father of the nation,” he could still order the arrest of loiterers especially those “unruly” who might pose danger to other people especially women and children.