HERE’S a joke on the police campaign to round up “tambays” or people loitering around. Police: Dakop! Lalaki: Unsa may akong sala sir nga imo man kong dakpon? Police; (mispronouncing “loitering” Lettering. Lalaki: Ha? Dili man gani ko kamao mosuwat sa akong ngalan, lettering na ba nuon.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive should be properly passed down to our law enforcers because I am afraid of misinterpreting the directive along the way. The Philippine National Police (PNP) should come up with clearer guidelines to prevent them from committing human rights violations and harassing people.
It’s like the controversial order by the Cebu City chief executive to arrest and impound the vehicles of those caught counter-flowing, which falls under reckless driving. The order was only for counter-flowing but when the order was implemented, some law enforcers impounded the vehicles of those who violated traffic signs. This triggered confusion and altercation between the violators and traffic enforcers.
So, what is “tambay”? It is from he English term, “stand by” or to hang around. If you are just standing outside of your residence, are you considered a “tambay”? If you are waiting for your friends for a night-out gimmick, are you a “tambay”?
This already happened in Makati City over the weekend. Policemen rounded up a group of call center agents who were just waiting for their friends for a night out. Those arrested were brought to the police station and locked up in jail. Was it legal to detain persons who were just standing while waiting for their friends? Isn’t it a human rights violation?
The freedom to roam is the public’s right to access certain public and privately owned land for recreation and exercise. It is sometimes called the right of public access. However, the police said that their operation is based on local ordinances since loiterers can no longer be charged with vagrancy as it has already been repealed in the Revised Penal Code.
We Filipinos are fond of gimmicks at night, like holding parties in our backyard. What if your house is on the side of the street and family members want to have their dinner in their garden, is it a violation of the president’s order?
The police clarified that they only arrest individuals who violate ordinances such as smoking and drinking in public, going around shirtless in the streets, and catcalling and urinating in public places. The police claimed that these violations are the usual causes of turmoil and crime in the streets.
I used to hang out in a sari-sari store in in Nivel Hills, Busay early evening after my day-long work at the GMA 7 broadcast complex. I usually take my dinner there and have few bottles of beer together with my radio station staff and some friends. But since this directive was implemented, I already avoided the place as I am afraid that we might be rounded up. Basin naay buang pulis unya dakpon lang ta deretso.
Pero maayong klarohon ni uy kay daghan ang mapagan ani. Ang pulis nga wala makasabot sa direktiba magpataka lang og panakop. Daghan ang “ma-chocolated” ani.