‘Anti-tambay’ drive in Oro begins, but what about sex workers?

By JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondent .

POLICE yesterday announced the start of the “anti-tambay” campaign aimed at keeping loiterers off the streets here but officials were unclear about how they would deal with commercial sex workers and their pimps in many street corners.

At a news conference, city police chief Senior Supt. Nelson Aganon said the police would start frisking people seen loitering in the streets here, and would arrest anyone found violating laws and ordinances.

Arrests would only be made if laws have been violated, said Aganon even as he assured that officers here would respect human rights and civil liberties.

Police said loiterers found to have violated no law would merely be advised to go home.

But officials were reluctant to give answers when they were asked about how the police would deal with commercial sex workers and pimps that have mushroomed in the city proper.

When confronted with the question during the news conference, Mayor Oscar Moreno paused and then said, “Let’s not talk about it.”