Probe sought into elderly mendicant’s detention

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. has come to the aid of a 68-year-old man who had been detained for nearly a week after being apprehended by the Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Office (CCAMO) and brought to the police station.

Alcover, chairman of the Committee on Senior Citizens of the City Council, personally visited the elderly man, identified as Ireneo Selma Vidal, at the Carbon Police Station and pledged to shoulder his bail so he could be released from detention.

Vidal, said to be a resident of Day-as, was arrested on May 7 after CCAMO personnel allegedly found him violating the city’s Anti-Mendicancy Ordinance.

He was caught playing a harmonica on Colon Street and receiving coins from passersby.

Vidal insisted he was not begging but merely accepted voluntary tokens to buy food for his three-year-old grandchild. He also alleged that he was maltreated during the arrest.

Alcover said he would summon CCAMO personnel to explain their side and vowed to investigate the allegations.

“Tabangan ta ni si Tatay Ireneo… E-patawag nato ang personnel sa CCAMO… mag investigate ta unsa ka tinuod ang gisulti ni tatay nga gidapatan siya,” Councilor Alcover said.

He emphasized that senior citizens deserve compassion and that Vidal’s case should be handled with care.

Mayor Nestor Archival, on the other hand, also ordered a probe into the incident and reminded CCAMO officers to be cautious in enforcing the ordinance.

“Yeah, I saw that and akong gipa imbestiga..Nya akong giingnan ang atong anti mendicancy team nga we should be very careful,” Archival told reporters in an interview yesterday.

He explained that while the law prohibits mendicancy, the line between begging and performing for voluntary donations can be blurred.

“This is debatable..kay kon wala sila nangayo in away, but nagbutang man gud siya..I mean lisod kayo na, wala man ko nangayo, nanghatag raman na sila…but if nagbutang kang butangan sa silsilyo, you are asking please give me, mao man na,” Archival said.

He urged residents not to give alms directly on the streets, stressing that donations should be coursed through the Department of Social Welfare and Services and accredited institutions.

“Ang ako lang gyung hangyo sa mga contituents sa syudad and NGO, usa sa mga naka encourage sa mga tawo nga muanhi sa atong syudad, tungod sa mga tawo nga daghan kaayong manghatag,” he added.

Vidal’s detention has sparked public sympathy and debate over whether enforcement of the ordinance should take intent and circumstances into consideration.

The Anti-Mendicancy Ordinance penalizes both mendicants and those who give alms, with sanctions ranging from fines and community service to detention. — /IHM (FREEMAN)