Duterte to PNP: Don’t mind critics, follow order vs. ‘tambay’

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday told police not to mind criticisms and continue apprehending tambay or idlers in the streets, minors included.

Duterte also directed the authorities to frisk loiterers, adding that it was within his power to order such "to protect the general welfare of the people."

"We call them istambay. That's the word. That is my order. And you continue to frisk people who are there doon sa dalan [Cebuano for street or road] and that is legal until such time that is my order," Duterte said.

"That is not subject to a legislation. The President can order, the mayor can order the barangay, issue regulations to protect public health, public safety, public order and to protect the general welfare of the people," he added.

Duterte then enjoined policemen to shun criticism of his order to round up loiterers in the streets amid concerns of possible abuse.

"Do not believe in the criticisms. Do not read it. It's none of your business to be reading what they are talking about. It's our business to follow what we are ordered to do," Duterte said in a speech before newly-elected barangay chairmen of Northern Mindanao in Cagayan de Oro City.

The president also promised to protect cops for as long as they followed his orders in the performance of duty.

He directed policemen to take into custody minors wandering in the streets late into the night "for their own safety."

"Below 18, you arrest the teenagers there around loitering because we have to protect our children, nagkalat na ang droga, nagkalat na ang lahat," he said.

"They are not being arrested for any crime. It's for their own good that they are arrested," Duterte said, citing the parens patriae principle.

Parens patriae is a Latin phrase for “father of the nation” which refers to the power of the state to act as guardian for those who are unable to care for themselves including children.

"The father of the nation should protect his children," Duterte said. —NB/BM, GMA News