445 ‘tambays’ invited for questioning in 5-week span
Known as “Oplan Tambay” ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte to the Philippine National Police (PNP) last June 13 to accost unruly loiterers or tambays in the country, the Dasmariñas City Police Station (DCPS) has implemented “Oplan Tomahawk/Tambay” under “Operation Disiplina” which brought 445 individuals for questioning from June 13 to July 10.
*The report was given to The HERALDO FILIPINO by the DCPS on July 18, 2018.
In an interview with The HERALDO FILIPINO (HF) last June 26, Dasmariñas Police Chief Inspector Fernel Dela Cruz addressed the doubts of the public regarding the validity of detaining tambays. “We (police personnel in Dasmariñas) are regularly conducting validation from our counterparts, especially in the barangay. Because [these] barangays serve as an eye and ear for our police officers so we need the assistance of the barangay [officials] and other members of the community,” he said.
Dela Cruz furthered that the police personnel in Dasmariñas have no record of abuse since the two-week implementation of “Oplan Disiplina”, explaining that only a loiterer proven to have a pending case verified in the police station will be arrested and detained.
After questioning, the held individuals will be given immediate release under the custody of the DCPS, as per the Chief Inspector.
Meanwhile, there have been over 44,000 individuals who have been detained for violating the anti-tambay ordinances since its launch last month, as per an article published by the Manila Bulletin dated July 11.
As of press time, there has been no confirmed order from the President as to when the Oplan Disiplina will be halted. This is an ongoing report from HF.
