Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo yesterday criticized groups questioning President Duterte’s anti-crime campaign for allegedly fomenting anarchy in the country.
Panelo defended the President’s latest campaign the clear the streets of “tambays” or idlers in a bid to prevent crimes.
“The President stays committed in promoting peace and order with zero tolerance for criminal activities. Those who question the President’s good intention are in effect encouraging misconducts and wrongdoings towards an anarchistic nation,” Panelo said.
He explained the President merely wanted to ensure public safety and deter crimes when he asked persons who idle or loiter in the streets to return to their houses. “Such a directive is only a measure in enforcing the law and deterring crimes that may be instigated by these potential mischief-makers,” he said.
“The President, in issuing such directive, only has the pure intention of protecting our citizens when they walk to and from their abodes from harassment, being very much aware that all sorts of the same ensue at streets and are caused by these idlers and loiterers,” he said.
Panelo shot down speculations that the President’s anti-crime drive was similar to the dire situation during the martial law period. Such comparison was “an imagined theory which is not only unfair but baseless as well,” he said.
“This measure applies to all citizens regardless of political beliefs or affiliations or whether they are for or against this administration,” he said.
“At the same time, people can rest assured that there are enough checks to ensure that police personnel do not abuse their authorities for otherwise, they will feel the full weight of the law against them,” he said. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
