18,763 nabbed in 15 days for ordinance violations

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 18,763 people were apprehended in Metro Manila in the past 15 days for violating local ordinances as part of the crackdown on tambay or loiterers ordered by President Duterte, a police official said yesterday.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said 9,308 of the violators or 49.68 percent were reprimanded, 5,904 fined and 3,525 charged in court.

Of those arrested, 240 remain in police custody.

Eleazar said 97 are being held at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), 94 at the Manila Police District (MPD) and 49 at the Southern Police District (SPD).

He said they warned first-time offenders and sent them home to prevent jail congestion in police stations, which are overcrowded with suspects arrested in the government’s war on drugs.

Eleazar said frequent violators were either fined or charged in court.

The NCRPO chief said the violators were arrested from June 13 when Duterte ordered the strict implementation of local ordinances nationwide in a bid to curb crime.

Police said 3,323 were nabbed for drinking in public places, 4,679 for smoking in public, 2,815 for being half-naked, 3,756 minors for violating curfew and 4,190 for violating other ordinances.

The Eastern Police District arrested the highest number of violators with 6,806, followed by the SPD and QCPD with 4,635 and 3,306, respectively.

The Northern Police District (NPD) took into custody 2,033 violators while the MPD had 1,978.

NCRPO records showed that 9,308 of those arrested were reprimanded, with the SPD topping the list with 3,703 individuals, EPD with 2,275, QCPD with 1,981 and NPD with 813.

The EPD fined 4,039 violators, followed by the NPD with 1,225, SPD with 605 and QCPD with 35.

The MPD filed charges against 1,978 violators, QCPD (1,920), SPD (245) and EPD (12).

Eleazar said he was satisfied with the performance of 38 chiefs of police against violators of ordinances.

But he warned that those underperforming would be relieved.

Eleazar said the oversight committee headed by Chief Supt. Clifton Empiso would review the performance of the police officials.

Anti-tambay drive continues

At least 306 violators of city ordinances have been rounded up by members of the SPD since Wednesday night.

Supt. Jenny Tecson, spokesperson for the SPD, said 182 minors were apprehended for loitering during curfew hours; 55 for smoking in public; 43 for drinking in public; 17 for being shirtless and eight for urinating in public. 

Records showed that 75 violators were nabbed in Parañaque, 72 in Makati, 69 in Taguig, 51 in Las Piñas, 22 in Pasay and 17 in Muntinlupa.

Only two ordinance violators were arrested in the municipality of Pateros, police said.

In Bulacan, 81 persons, including 20 minors, were arrested for violating local ordinances in line with the government’s Oplan Rody or Rid the streets of Drunkards and Youth on Wednesday night.

Of the number, 67 were turned over to barangay officials and 14 were sent home, according to Senior Supt. Chito Bersaluna, acting Bulacan police provincial director.

The violators were rounded up in Angat, Balagtas, Baliuag, Bulakan, Bustos, Calumpit, Malolos, Norzagaray, Obando, Pandi, Paombong, Plaridel and San Miguel.?     In Ilocos Sur, four Grade 12 students were accosted by police for drinking in public in Barangay Sawat, Tagudin town.

Police said they would file charges against the owner of the store who sold them liquor.   With Robertzon Ramirez, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Eva Visperas, Raymund Catindig