BACOLOD City – A militant human rights group slammed President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to rid the streets of tambays (loiterers).
Karapatan-Negros said the Duterte’s “anti-tambay campaign” is a prelude to a martial law declaration.
Clarissa Singson-Dagatan, chairwoman of Karapatan-Negros, said limiting the movement of people at nighttime is a scenario like that during the martial law era in the Philippines.
Singson-Dagatan added that detaining civilians under such measure is tantamount to warrantless arrest, which is a human rights violation.
The President last week ordered law enforcers to round up loiterers on the streets to reduce crime and maintain peace and order.
“Ang mga kriminal dapat diyan, ang mga durugista, they are not supposed to be there,” Duterte said in a speech. “So my directive is ’pag mag-istambay-istambay diyan, umuwi kayo. Kay ’pag hindi kayo umuwi ihatid ko kayo doon sa opisina ni ano – Pasig. Ako na’ng bahala. Ilagay mo lang diyan. Talian mo iyong kamay pati – ihulog ko iyan diyan sa…”
The President must not worry of tambays, Singson-Dagatan said. He must instead focus on providing them with jobs that will “take them away from the streets at night.”
She stressed that Duterte’s directive is in “no way a solution to the extreme poverty experienced by the masses.”
The President’s action only proves his “tyrannical tendencies” and aversion “against those who criticize his policies,” Singson-Dagatan said./PN
