POLICE offices in Cebu are set to follow what can be considered a fad. After Oplan Tokhang and the war against illegal drugs, which did not really succeed, law enforcers are agog about Oplan Tambay. The Cebu City Police Office even coined an awkward and corny meaning for “TAMBAY”: Tangtangon Ang Maabusado, Badlongon sa katilingban ug Apil niini ang mga Yawan-ong buhat).
The operation targets loiterers by using as props largely unimplemented and obscure ordinances like those against smoking, drunkenness, illegal dispatching, vandalism, etc. After all, loitering is not a criminal act. The local police even wants to copy their counterparts in Quezon City and arrest shirtless loiterers, except that being shirtless is not illegal here.
But if the local police won’t be careful, this one could also deteriorate fast like what happened to Oplan Tokhang and the war against illegal drugs, which were also prone to abuse by authorities. This is precisely why hawkish leaders like Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who years ago endorsed vigilante killings of suspected criminals, are acting up again.
To be fair, the operational procedure that the police initially announced seems cognizant of the danger of abuse that Oplan Tambay poses. CCPO Director Joel Doria said the operation would be conducted with the help of barangay officials, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and even the Commission on Human Rights. Still, there are worries that this would turn messy.
In Quezon City, Oplan Tambay has already been “credited” with one death: Genesis Argoncillo, who was loitering shirtless outside his house, was arrested and jailed in a cell with hardened criminals. He was reportedly beaten to death, although the police claimed he wasn’t mauled but merely complained of shortness of breath.
The truth is, authorities can be abusive and those subject to the operation can be excessive in their resistance. It’s what makes the operation volatile. But there wouldn’t have been a problem if the police are dealing with criminals, but those loiterers generally aren’t. If Oplan Tambay gets messy, the image of the police will again take a hit.