Men loiter at a sidewalk along Lerma street Sampaloc, Manila on a humid Wednesday afternoon, June 20, 2018. INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
Instead of arresting half-naked “tambays” (loiterers), why not give them clothes to wear?
This suggestion was made by Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda Acosta in an interview with Radyo Inquirer on Monday.
“Yung walang kadamit-damit, bigyan ng damit, bente o trenta pesos lang sa ukay ‘yan. Sabi nga ng ating Panginoon, damitan ang walang damit,” Acosta said.
(Those who are not wearing clothes, give them clothes; it’s only 20 to 30 pesos in the thrift shop. Like what the Lord said, give clothes to the naked.)
The PAO chief also said that local ordinances were only for loiterers who are “half-naked” and not those with shirts on, referring to the controversial crackdown of “tambays” carried out by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“Yung tinutukoy sa ordinansa, ‘yung half-naked kasi nga wala sa kaayusan ng komunidad,” Acosta explained.
(The ordinance is referring to the half-naked loiterers because it’s not proper in the community.)
Officials claimed the “anti-tambay” drive was meant to promote peace and order in the community and to effectively implement the already existing public ordinances.
PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said more than 11,000 people were arrested in Metro Manila alone since the start of the campaign for violating public ordinances, including non-observance of curfew hours, public-smoking, public-drinking, traffic violations and other various offenses.
Acosta also suggested bringing the arrested half-naked “tambays” to barangay halls for counseling as the surge in number of inmates in police detention cells and city jails continues.
“Isinuggest na natin na sa barangay na lang dalhin ang mga mahuhuling half-naked para ma-counseling ng mga bagong halal na barangay kagawad,” she added.
(We suggest that they bring the half-naked loiterers to the village hall so that they can receive counselling from the newly-elected village councilors.)
Acosta added that as of last week, PAO has freed the jailed loiterers who cannot afford the P200 fine. Syrah Vivien Inocencio, INQUIRER.net intern /je