MANILA — Malacanang on Tuesday allayed fears of the government’s critics that the crackdown against “tambays” (loiterers) in the streets could lead to human rights abuses.
“Those people who are not doing anything wrong in the community should not worry,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in radio interview.
He assured that the human rights of the people will not be violated, saying legal remedies are in place if people caught loitering around are arrested by the police
“If no cases will be filed, there is a legal remedy like petition for habeas corpus and writ of amparo,” Roque, a lawyer, said.
Roque said law enforcers will only go after those drinking on the streets, not wearing shirts, and violators including minors of local ordinances particularly curfew.
“This is also a strategy to have police visibility like in Japan where there is very low crime rate. Why? Because of the presence of police,” Roque said.
In his speech last week, President Rodrigo Duterte called on top police authorities to go after “tambays” as part of the government’s crime prevention measures.
Duterte said roads and highways were built “for the law-abiding citizens”.
“Criminals and drug addicts, they are not supposed to be there. So my directive is, if they loiter on the streets, tell them to go home,” Duterte said.
Duterte, a former mayor of Davao City, won overwhelmingly in the 2016 elections primarily due to his campaign against criminality, illegal drugs and graft and corruption. (Jelly Musico/PNA)
