Personnel from the Women and Children Protection Desk of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) rescue a woman and a child who were loitering around the streets of Cebu City. | Photo from WCPD-CCPO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 76 mendicants were rescued in Cebu City streets during the conduct of the Joint Anti Mendicancy and Rescue Operation over the weekend.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), instructed the personnel of the Women and Children Protection Group of CCPO to rescue mendicants who will be seen on the sidewalks, especially those seen violating health protocols such as not wearing face masks, caroling, and asking for alms from motorists and commuters.
Of the 76 rescued mendicants, 28 were members of the Badjao community, which included 10 minors. There were also at least 37 local Cebuano beggars composed of 17 adults and 20 minors who were rescued. One Maranao who lives on the street was also rescued and another 10 senior citizens.
Parilla said that these mendicants were found in different areas in Cebu City.
He further said that right after rescuing these individuals, they immediately turned them over to Cebu City’s Department of Social Welfare and Services, who are in charge of holding them.
“It’s up to the LGU og unsaon ni nila. Naa man silay programa ani, ang uban is kadtong mga gusto na muoli sa ilang probinsya, tagaan sila og pamelete aron makauli, ” Parilla said.
(It’s up to the LGU on how they will manage them. They have a program for this, some who want to go back to the province, they will provide them money.)
Temporarily, these rescued individuals will be placed in a school in barangay Labangon.
Parilla added that they have coordinated with the tribe leader of the rescued Badjaos on how they can be controlled.
“Mura og nakaugalian na nila kay kung makita ninyo mostly mga inahan nga nag dalag bata…Ilaha na nga kinaiya ba nga mangayo gyud sila maong nakig ordinate ta sa tribe leader para ma control sila,” he said.
(It seems to have become a habit for them as you can see they are mothers who bring their children with them… It is part of their character to beg. That is why we coordinate with the tribe leader (Badjao) to control them.)
Parilla said these mendicants should be rescued as loitering around the city would put them and those they interact with at risk for COVID-19 infection.
To recall, Parilla said that these individuals are not exempted from the health protocols implemented in Cebu City. They are rescuing them, placing them in a shelter where they could stay.
As of this posting, CDN Digital has yet to receive a response from the person in charge of the Anti-Mendicancy of the DSWS.
READ: Cebu City police set to rescue Badjao protocol violators from streets
/bmjo