Bam Aquino files resolution to probe anti-tambay policy
By Roel Tibay
Published Jun 25, 2018 08:42 pm
By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV formally filed a Senate resolution asking the upper chamber to investigate the Duterte government’s policy against loitering.
Senator Bam Aquino (JAY GANZON / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Aquino, in filing Senate Resolution No. 772, sought answers likewise, on the death of Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo who died in the custody of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) for four days after he was arrested for alleged alarm and scandal.
"Maraming mga detalye na hindi tumutugma, pero ang malinaw sa akin, hindi dapat namatay si Tisoy, (There are so many details that do not match, but its clear to me, Tisoy shouldn’t have died),” Aquino said.
“Hindi siya mamamatay kung hindi pinatupad ang isang polisiya na nakatarget ang mahihirap, He wouldn’t have died if the policy did not target the poor),” he added.
Aquino has called the Duterte government’s campaign against loitering as untenable, discriminatory and anti-poor.
The resolution is directed to the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, headed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
Aquino, in his resolution, urged Lacson’s panel t investigate the matter to protect ordinary Filipinos from unjust, discriminatory and abusive policies and practices.
“There is a need to assess whether the PNP's anti-tambay campaign, as well as the local ordinances on which they are supposedly based, are consistent with national laws and the Constitution,” he said.
Argoncillo, was arrested on June 15, allegedly for committing alarm and scandal, but died four days later in the custody of the QCPD cops.
The PNP issued different statements regarding Argoncillo’s death. First, it claimed that it was due to self-inflicted trauma then changed it to suffocation due to the severe congestion of prison cells.
But Argoncillo’s death certificate revealed that he died from multiple blunt force trauma to his neck, head, chest and upper extremities. The QCPD claimed that he died after he was mauled by fellow inmates.
"Pumunta lang sa tindahan, inaresto dahil hindi naka-tshirt. Ngayon, nakaburol na. Napakasakit nito para sa pamilya ng biktima at sa ating bansa (To think he just went to the store, got arrested because he did not wore t-shirt. Now he is dead. This is so painful for the family of the victim and to our nation),” he said.
“Nakakabahala ang paiba-ibang deklarasyon ng pulis sa dahilan ng pagkamatay ni Tisoy, (and the different declaration of the cops regarding Tisoy’s death is also alarming), “ he pointed out.
Aquino also said several citizens have also claimed that they were arrested while waiting outside the gate of a friend’s house in Makati City.
They were detained for one hour and were shown a video of President Duterte's pronouncement against "tambays" as basis for their detention.
The senator also cited reports on June 17, a social media post circulated showing a CCTV footage of a shirtless man who was accosted in front of his house by roving police seconds after he stepped out of the door in Novaliches, Quezon City.
The man, Ariel Morco, was not arrested but was ordered to clean the bathroom of the police station.
“Halos lahat ng mga naaresto ay mga mahirap at ang mga operasyon ay ginagawa sa mahihirap na komunidad. Tama na po ang pagpapahirap sa mga mahihirap, (Almost all those who were arrested were poor people and the operation was conducted in poorer communities. Please, stop burdening the poor),” he said.
Senator Bam Aquino (JAY GANZON / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Aquino, in filing Senate Resolution No. 772, sought answers likewise, on the death of Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo who died in the custody of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) for four days after he was arrested for alleged alarm and scandal.
"Maraming mga detalye na hindi tumutugma, pero ang malinaw sa akin, hindi dapat namatay si Tisoy, (There are so many details that do not match, but its clear to me, Tisoy shouldn’t have died),” Aquino said.
“Hindi siya mamamatay kung hindi pinatupad ang isang polisiya na nakatarget ang mahihirap, He wouldn’t have died if the policy did not target the poor),” he added.
Aquino has called the Duterte government’s campaign against loitering as untenable, discriminatory and anti-poor.
The resolution is directed to the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, headed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
Aquino, in his resolution, urged Lacson’s panel t investigate the matter to protect ordinary Filipinos from unjust, discriminatory and abusive policies and practices.
“There is a need to assess whether the PNP's anti-tambay campaign, as well as the local ordinances on which they are supposedly based, are consistent with national laws and the Constitution,” he said.
Argoncillo, was arrested on June 15, allegedly for committing alarm and scandal, but died four days later in the custody of the QCPD cops.
The PNP issued different statements regarding Argoncillo’s death. First, it claimed that it was due to self-inflicted trauma then changed it to suffocation due to the severe congestion of prison cells.
But Argoncillo’s death certificate revealed that he died from multiple blunt force trauma to his neck, head, chest and upper extremities. The QCPD claimed that he died after he was mauled by fellow inmates.
"Pumunta lang sa tindahan, inaresto dahil hindi naka-tshirt. Ngayon, nakaburol na. Napakasakit nito para sa pamilya ng biktima at sa ating bansa (To think he just went to the store, got arrested because he did not wore t-shirt. Now he is dead. This is so painful for the family of the victim and to our nation),” he said.
“Nakakabahala ang paiba-ibang deklarasyon ng pulis sa dahilan ng pagkamatay ni Tisoy, (and the different declaration of the cops regarding Tisoy’s death is also alarming), “ he pointed out.
Aquino also said several citizens have also claimed that they were arrested while waiting outside the gate of a friend’s house in Makati City.
They were detained for one hour and were shown a video of President Duterte's pronouncement against "tambays" as basis for their detention.
The senator also cited reports on June 17, a social media post circulated showing a CCTV footage of a shirtless man who was accosted in front of his house by roving police seconds after he stepped out of the door in Novaliches, Quezon City.
The man, Ariel Morco, was not arrested but was ordered to clean the bathroom of the police station.
“Halos lahat ng mga naaresto ay mga mahirap at ang mga operasyon ay ginagawa sa mahihirap na komunidad. Tama na po ang pagpapahirap sa mga mahihirap, (Almost all those who were arrested were poor people and the operation was conducted in poorer communities. Please, stop burdening the poor),” he said.