Before many more Tisoys are killed…

Editorial cartoon for June 22, 2018

“TAMBAY” Genesis Argoncillo a.k.a. “Tisoy” was arrested by the police in Novaliches, Quezon City Friday last week, June 15, and was found dead three days after, on June 18, in his detention cell.

This is really condemnable considering that Tisoy was just supposedly sitting near his house when he was arrested by the police. There was no reason to arrest him in the first place even if they use the Civil Code for public nuisance.

Based on Article 694 of the Civil Code, a nuisance is any act, omission, establishment, business, condition of property, or anything else which:

(1) Injures or endangers the health or safety of others; or

(2) Annoys or offends the senses; or

(3) Shocks, defies or disregards decency or morality; or

(4) Obstructs or interferes with the free passage of any public highway or street, or any body of water; or

(5) Hinders or impairs the use of property.

Tisoy’s actions hardly fell under any of these categories and he certainly did not deserve to be arrested or killed for sitting near his house.

Ilonggo Bayan Muna party-list former congressman Neri Colmenares says this supposed anti-tambay campaign is similar to the curtailment of the freedom of movement and freedom of assembly during the Marcos dictatorship. He has a valid observation.

Well, just this Wednesday in Cabatuan, Iloilo President Duterte clarified that the anti-tambay campaign need not result to arrests and tambays are simply discouraged from, well, doing tambay. But didn’t the Philippine National Police itself say over 7,000 tambays have already been arrested?

There is no law that allows the police to arrest a tambay.  Before many more Tisoys are killed, concerned government agencies must act. Colmenares is calling for a congressional investigation on what happened to Tisoy and on this supposed anti-tambay campaign.

Colmenares quipped: “Sa halip na mga tambay ang pinag-iinitan nila, ayusin nila ang kawalan ng trabaho sa bansa para mawala ang mga tambay.”

The guy has a point.

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