Villania defends Duterte's "anti-tambay" initiative

Reynold Villania is a Facebook celebrity in the Philippines. He aims to empower police officers and citizens through legal education. For more of his posts and discussions, please go to https://www.facebook.com/pg/reynoldvillania.

DUTERTE: In the past few days, President Duterte has many statements encouraging authorities to be tougher against "tambays" (people who idle around; loiterers).

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE: Yesterday, the Philippine police force arrested three-hundred and two (302) "tambays," a government action which sparked debates all over the country on whether said action is proper or legal.

SENATOR KIKO AS REPORTED BY INQUIRER: After the Philippine National Police (PNP) vowed to intensify anti-crime operations by apprehending bystanders, Senator Kiko Pangilinan reminded that loitering is no longer a criminal offense. SOURCE: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1001731/philippine-news-updates-senate-senator-kiko-pangilinan-president-rodrigo-duterte-philippine-national-police-pnp-oscar-albayalde-loitering-bystanders#ixzz5IkExNeCt Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
VILLANIA'S DEFENSE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TAMBAY INITIATIVE: Vagrancy, Paglabag ng mga Ordinansa, Stop and Frisk

Ang vagrancy ay isang krimen sa ilalim ng Art. 202 ng Revised Penal Code. May apat na klase ang vagrancy. Dalawa sa mga ito ay:

[Article 202 of the RPC penalizes vagrancy. There are four kinds. Two of them are:]

Una, pakalat-kalat sa mga pampublikong lugar; halimbawa: kalsada na walang "visible means of support", at,

[First, loitering around public places without visible means of support; and]

Pangalawa: pakalat-kalat sa mga pribadong lugar ng walang dahilan.

[Second, loitering around in public places without a valid reasons.]

Ang vagrancy ay hindi na krimen sa ngayon (decriminalized) dahil sa R.A. 10158 na nag-amyenda sa Art. 202.

[Vagrancy is no longer a crime due to RA 10158 which amended Article 2012.]

Ang panghuhuling ginagawa ng pulisya sa mga tambay sa kalsada sa ngayon ay hindi dahil sa vagrancy. Ito ay dahil sa paglabag sa mga lokal na ordinansa, kagaya ng: paglalasing at paghuhubad sa kalsada, o kaya dahil sa prinsipyo ng stop and frisk na nagbibigay kapangyarihan sa PNP na siyasatin ang isang kahina-hinalang tao at arestuhin pag may makuhang ilegal na bagay sa kaniya, gaya ng droga at patalim.

[The recent arrests conducted by the PNP against "tambays" are not about vagrancy. Said arrests are by virtue of local ordinances prohibiting intoxication or nudity in public, or by virtue of the doctrine of stop and frisk which gives police officers the power to frisk people who create in their mind reasonable belief that a crime is being committed or prohibited articles or things such as drugs or bladed weapons are being possessed.]

Kaya may legal na basehan ang PNP sa paghuli sa mga estambay na may paglabag sa mga lokal na ordinansa, stop and frisk at iba pang legal na basehan sa ilalam ng batas.

[Therefore, the PNP has legal basis in arresting "tambays" who violate local ordinances. The basis is such violation or the doctrine of stop and frisk, among other bases under the law.]