MANILA -- Police authorities arrested 664 violators of local ordinances against ”tambays” or loiterers in separate operations in various parts of Metro Manila.
Of the number, 566 violators were from the southern cities of the National Capital Region (NCR) and 98 from Manila.
In his report to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) head Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Southern Police District director Chief Supt. Tomas Apolinario said 566 bystanders were apprehended in Muntinlupa, Makati, and Parañaque during the past 24 hours starting 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde met with Eleazar Thursday morning to assess the situation.
As a result of sustained operations to enforce local ordinances against vagrants, Muntinlupa City Police personnel said they apprehended 130 bystanders, 66 of whom were curfew violators, 40 were half-naked in public, 14 were caught smoking in non-smoking areas, and 10 were drinking in public.
On the other hand, the Parañaque City Police reported 114 apprehensions, 48 of whom were violators of the curfew for minors, 47 were drinking in public places, 15 were half-naked in public, and four were smoking in public.
In Makati City, 131 violators were reported for the same period, 75 of whom for violating the local curfew on minors, 39 for drinking in public, 11 for being half-naked in public, and six for public smoking.
Meanwhile, 37 persons were apprehended in Pasay, 95 in Las Piñas, 57 in Taguig, and two in Pateros.
Aside from the 98 persons nabbed for violation of city ordinances, the Manila Police District’s (MPD) implementation of its "Tambay sa Kalye" operations in the past 24 hours also resulted in the arrest of 32 suspects in 13 anti-drug operations.
Confiscated from the operations were 45 sachets of suspected “shabu” during the period.
Two firearms, a .38 caliber revolver without a serial number loaded with three live ammunition, and one Black Widow .22 caliber Magnum loaded with one live ammunition, and three fired cartridge cases were also recovered during the police operations.
The Manila Police also conducted three anti-illegal gambling operations that resulted in the arrest of 13 suspects during the same period.
In one of the operations, elements of the Sta. Cruz Police nabbed three suspects for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 (illegal gambling) and Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002).
Seized pieces of evidence from the suspects were three pieces of small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of “shabu” and three one-peso coins used as flippers. (PNA)
