Police in Manila, eager to burnish their tough-guy credentials for their new boss.

[Hy H 1,987]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-12/philippines-gets-taste-of-duterte-anti-crime-war/7503474

 

Philippines gets taste of Rodrigo Duterte anti-crime war as police detain children, drunks in night-time blitz

Updated 15 minutes ago

PHOTO: Social workers restrain a woman after her son was detained. (AFP: Noel Celis)

MAP: Philippines

Armed police detained crying children, bewildered drunks and shirtless men throughout the Philippine capital Manila in a night-time blitz that offered an authoritarian taste of life under incoming president Rodrigo Duterte.

Key points:

• President-elect Duterte won office on a hardline law-and-order platform
• Ahead of his inauguration, police have launched an anti-crime blitz on the streets of Manilla
• Children out after curfew and the drunk and disorderly are in their sights

The incendiary lawyer won last month's elections in a landslide largely on a pledge to end or suppress what he said was rampant crime, warning the Philippines was in danger of becoming a narco-state and that tens of thousands of criminals would be killed in his crackdown.

Across the nation police have already reported killing more than 20 alleged drug suspects over the past fortnight, egged on by Mr Duterte who has urged them to begin his war on crime even before he takes office at the end of this month.

The efforts by police in Manila, a chaotic mega-city of more than 12 million people, to clean up the streets ahead of Mr Duterte being sworn in casts a light on other controversial aspects of his law-and-order campaign.

PHOTO: Homeless people are detained by policemen. (AFP: Noel Ceris)

Since winning, Mr Duterte has said he will impose late-night bans on children walking the streets, alcohol sales and the national passion of karaoke singing — insisting that his crackdown must start with the fundamentals of discipline in society.

Police in Manila, eager to burnish their tough-guy credentials for their new boss, have in recent weeks begun their own versions of such night-time curfews that have seen hundreds of people detained.

In some districts police have even named the crackdowns "Oplan RODY" — an acronym for Rid the Streets of Drinkers and Youths that is also Mr Duterte's nickname.

"We all know drinking in the streets and youth roaming the streets at night are a formula for crime," Senior Superintendent Jemar Modequillo told AFP as he led Oplan RODY's sweep through a large southern Manila slum called CAA.

PHOTO: Minors are detained at a police station after social workers found them roaming the streets at night. (AFP: Noel Celis)

When AFP accompanied Superintendent Modequillo's forces through CAA, children aged under 10 were taken away in police vehicles.

Two girls were in tears as they were led away by armed officers even though they were out with adult relatives.

Under Superintendent Modequillo's operation, the children were taken back to the police station for lectures and to be picked-up later by parents.

But in another part of the Manila, parents of children found on the streets at night alone were jailed.

Mr Duterte has said he intends to similarly jail parents for "abandonment", while the children will be sent to be cared for by the already overwhelmed social welfare department.

PHOTO: A half naked man is detained by policemen for violating drinking in public place. (AFP: Noel Ceris)

Under Superintendent Modequillo's Oplan RODY, more than 100 adults deemed to be drunk or disorderly were detained and given the option of doing 40 push ups at the police station or a fine and a short prison stint. All chose the former.

Some said they had been unfairly detained.

Sitting on the police station's floor, Rafael Ganton insisted he was sober but that his apparent crime was being outside on a sweltering night without a shirt on.

"I was just going to lock the doors of our billiards shop," he said.

Jose Diokno, chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group, which advocates for victims of human rights abuses, said the operations were concerning on many levels, including that armed police were traumatising children.

Mr Diokno also voiced concern that Mr Duterte's war on crime, like with Oplan RODY now, would target the poor.

"They are the weakest sector of society the easiest to oppress, they are already oppressed," he said.

PHOTO: A woman wearing a Duterte wristband accompanies her son at a police station after being detained for violating a curfew. (AFP: Noel Celis)

[streak03 3,596]

 

 

"We all know drinking in the streets and youth roaming the streets at night are a formula for crime," Senior Superintendent Jemar Modequillo told AFP as he led Oplan RODY's sweep through a large southern Manila slum called CAA.

 

No shit, wonder why they haven't done anything about it until now, because as he said, everyone knows....blah blah blah...

[Hy H 1,987]

Shirtless outside at night is a bit hard, bloody hell at night outside is nice and cool-er without a shirt on. 

[+RogerDuMond 14,450]

 

 

But in another part of the Manila, parents of children found on the streets at night alone were jailed.

 

Not a bad idea.

[SkyMan 24,526]

Since winning, Mr Duterte has said he will impose late-night bans on children walking the streets, alcohol sales and the national passion of karaoke singing

What's not to love?

Shirtless outside at night is a bit hard, bloody hell at night outside is nice and cool-er without a shirt on.

A shirt is a small price to pay to get the karaoke knocked out. Now, where's that shirt I had...... Edited June 12, 2016 by SkyMan

[colemanlee 21,437]

When they get done in Manila, tell them to come to Tacloban

[Shrek484 340]

Parents charged with abandonment, no young kids wandering, karaoke crackdown..... parents accountable.... sounds like a great plan to me, now if he would just add barking dogs I would be in heaven!  

[lamoe 14,829]

One of the few times I will comment on a situation there

 

It worked in Times Square  NYC and The Loop in Chicago. Detroit didn't do same and it's downtown was / is a zoo.

[colemanlee 21,437]

Back in the 70's Atlanta Police had what was basically the same policy...Start of the morning watch...would go around collecting drunks and others laying outside on the street...worked great...as as the word spread pretty soon there was nobody left to collect.

[Monsoon 28,942]

Being poor does not a bad man make...

 

My wife's first encounter with an able bodied white beggar in a US Walmart parking lot ended with her asking me, "Honey there's not really any excuse for her to be begging, they are hiring at Mcdo. She doesn't need to be minimum 5' 5" or 18-23 with 'pleasing personality' to get hired."

 

Welcome to the United States of America darling. The lady behind us in line was using my hard earned money to buy her groceries and of course her cigarettes separately from her food stamp purchases.

 

The begging is out of control. Banging on my window will guarantee you that you get nothing from me. 

[contraman 29,040]

Parents charged with abandonment, no young kids wandering, karaoke crackdown..... parents accountable.... sounds like a great plan to me, now if he would just add barking dogs I would be in heaven!  

And Roosters

[az09 128]

PHOTO: A woman wearing a Duterte wristband accompanies her son at a police station after being detained for violating a curfew. (AFP: Noel Celis)

Quite a symbolic photo.