26 Jul 2018 | 03:20 PM UTC
Philippines: Crackdown on loiterers in Manila
Security forces apprehend approximately 59,000 people for “loitering” in Manila streets since crackdown launched June 13; crackdown expected to continue in the coming weeks
Event
As of mid-July, approximately 59,000 people have been apprehended by police for loitering in Manila since June 13, when President Rodrigo Duterte announced a crackdown on people seeming to be out of doors for no clear reason; the majority of those targeted are the city’s poor. Children and adults found to be in violation may be warned, fined, booked and freed, or jailed. President Duterte has billed the initiative as a “crime prevention campaign,” however, he has also said that he only told police to frisk loiterers and has denied ordering the arrests. Activists, legal groups, and opposition leaders have condemned the recent initiative as a war on the city’s poor. Operations targeting perceived loitering in the capital are expected to continue in the near-term.
Context
Since his election in June 2016, Rodrigo Duterte has implemented particularly harsh policies to restore social order and end criminality in the Philippines. His anti-drug policies have led to the deaths of more than 4500 suspected dealers and many more arrests.
Advice
Individuals in the Philippines are advised to monitor developments to the situation, maintain a low profile, and adhere to all local laws and regulations.
