Youth solon says House reso on Duterte’s ‘tambay order’ on the way

Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago on Saturday said resolutions are already underway at the House of Representatives to seek an investigation on President Rodrigo Duterte's order to apprehend loiterers in the streets, as well as their mauling in the precints.

"Tinatawagan natin 'yung Kongreso. Naka-file ang mga panukala para mapaimbestigahan, hindi lamang itong crackdown sa tambay kundi 'yung pamamaslang doon sa mga inmates dahil sa pambubugbog sa loob ng mga kulungan," Elago said at a forum at U.P. Diliman.

"Nasa daan na ang mga resolusyon sa Kongreso tungkol sa mga extrajudicial killings itong sinasabi na pamamaslang kaugnay ng madugong giyera kontra droga," she added.

Elago said rather than focusing on "mga tambay," the government should instead address the societal issues that push them to be idlers, including joblessness, contractualization, very low income, and unconducive and unaffordable housing.

"'Yan 'yung mga issue na ang gobyerno mismo ay dapat huwag tumambay at dalian nang masolusyonan ang mga issue na 'yan ng ating bayan," the lawmaker said.

Elago also urged the PNP to release and clear the over 7,000 idlers so far apprehended in their "Oplan Tambay." She said authorities seemed to be only showing off and motivated only by an increase in their salaries.

"Malaking pananagutan din ito ni Duterte dahil siya mismo ang nagsabi na 'yung mga walang ginagawa sa daan na maaaring magdulot ng potential harm... Palibhasa nagdoble ang sweldo ngayon ay nagsusunod-sunuran. Kung wala namang utos niyan hindi naman sila gagalaw ng ganiyan at hindi aabot sa 7,000 ang mga nahuli," she said.

Elago insisted that the crackdown is anti-poor, and called for justice for Genesis "Tisoy" Argoncillo, an idler who recently died after he was allegedly beaten up by inmates in prison.

Responding to Duterte's challenge to critics to question his order's legality before the Supreme Court, Elago said the President seemed confident that the highest court will "bow down to his whims."

"This challenge of taking this issue before Supreme Court merely comes from his confidence that even the SC --- now with Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno illegally removed via quo warranto---will only bow down to his whims," Elago said. — MDM, GMA News