By Aaron Recuenco
More than 78,000 people have been in arrested in Metro Manila since the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO0 has stepped up the campaign against loiterers using city ordinances in the metropolis.
(Jun Ryan Arañas / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
But NCRPO director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said that of the 78,359 arrested since June 13 up to yesterday morning, those remaining in the detention facility is only seventeen, most of them were collared on Sunday night.
“Most of those arrested are due to violation relating to smoking in public,” said Eleazar.
Those arrested for smoking in public account for 35.7 percent of the total number arrested since last month, followed by minors being arrested for violation of curfew at 26.7 percent.
Other violations include drinking in public places with 10 percent of the total number arrested and going out half-naked at 13.7 percent.
Eleazar said the Eastern Police District which covers the area of Pasig, Marikina, San Juan and Mandaluyong is the top performer in the campaign, accounting for 45.17 percent, or 35,393 of the more than 70,000 violators arrested.
The Southern Police District is second with 16.38 percent while the Manila Police District accounts for 15.68 percent. The Quezon City Police District ranks fourth while the Northern Police District is on the last spot.
The campaign against loiterers had intensified last month after the pronouncement of President Duterte.
But the campaign experienced a setback due to intense criticisms for violation of human rights, which forced the police to drop the term anti-tambay operations in their written orders.
Instead, they are now using the term "enforcement of city ordinances."