HRW calls for stop in PNP ops vs. ‘tambay’

An international human rights group on Tuesday called for a stop in the Philippine police's campaign against "tambay" or loiterers, saying it will "retraumatize" residents of poor communities amid the government's bloody war on illegal drugs.

In a statement, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the Philippine National Police (PNP) "should immediately end a 'crime prevention' campaign that has disproportionately targeted 'loiterers' in low-income areas.

"This campaign threatens to retraumatize residents of communities already terrorized by 'drug war' executions and is risking the detainees' health and safety," said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director at HRW.

According to the group,  the police have focused the campaign in the same communities that have been the "epicenter of 'drug war' summary killings" that have resulted in the deaths of more than 12,000 people since mid-2016.

Upon orders from President Rodrigo Duterte, policemen have arrested during week-long operations more than 8,000 people in Metro Manila alone for violating curfew ordinances, for drinking in public places or streets, for being half-naked in the streets and other offenses.

The crackdown has faced more scrutiny this week following the death of Genesis Argoncillo while in police custody. While police maintain that he was arrested for alarm and scandal, witnesses have come out saying he was apprehended for going out shirtless.

In its statement, HRW noted that Duterte had sent "vague messages" about the campaign "increasing the likelihood of abuses."

"The Philippine National Police are again demonstrating their preference for wielding fear, intimidation, and arbitrary arrest to target vulnerable communities rather than respect for the rule of law," Kine said as he urged the Philippine government to protect the basic rights of all Filipinos "rather than let the police demolish them on the pretext of a 'crime prevention' campaign."

In a speech in Cagayan de Oro City on Monday evening, Duterte enjoined policemen to shun criticism and said the campaign against tambay will continue unless declared illegal by the Supreme Court.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, meanwhile, said on Tuesday that laws and ordinances have to be followed.

"That’s the problem with our country nowadays, as the President keeps on saying, following the law in this country has become just an option, not an obedience to the law," Panelo told ANC television.

"There is a law, there is an ordinance. We have to strictly follow them. Those laws were made precisely for us," he said. — with Virgil Lopez/KBK/RSJ, GMA News