MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Saturday defended anew his anti-tambay (loiterer) drive stressing that there is no need for a law to order the clearing of the streets.
Duterte particularly slammed human rights groups and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) who earlier opposed the warrantless arrest of loiterers and took “pity” on criminals.
“And so you pity what? The idiot there on the streets? Ito naman kasing mga (these) human rights, pati ‘yung (even the) IBP na sira ulo(who’s crazy). Look guys, if you are the president of IBP, there is no need for a law for me to order the clearing of the streets,” Duterte said during the inauguration of the Malayan Colleges Mindanao in Davao City.
Duterte did not mention names but lawyer Abdiel Dan Fajardo, IBP national president, earlier voiced out his objection to the drive to rid the streets of loiterers.
The President also reiterated the doctrine of “parens patriae” which allows the State to serve as a guardian for children, the mentally ill, the incompetent, the elderly or disabled persons who are unable to take care of themselves.
“If I say, ‘arrest and take into custody the young people,’ that is well within my parents patriae — the father of the nation — to protect them from crime,” Duterte said.
Duterte pointed out that many minors were being used by their parents or other adults as drug couriers so it is only right to send them to barangay (village) centers and the social welfare stations.
“So they are young because of their tender age, we have to take them out of the streets and place them overnight — yung mga (those) barangay and safe places and after that they are returned to their parents,” Duterte said.
“Nothing is wrong with that. You can bring me to the Supreme Court and we will see each other there,” he added.
Duterte said it is the government’s duty to “protect the people of the Republic of the Philippines” and “preserve the nation.”
He said critics who disagree with him could go to the Supreme Court.
Malacañang earlier said it would welcome any congressional investigation on the government’s anti-loiterers drive noting that it is “not hiding anything.”
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said the campaign was already being implemented as local ordinances in some local government units (LGUs).