DILG chief Remulla apologizes after police arrest construction worker for being shirtless
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has issued an apology after authorities apprehended a construction worker for being shirtless, a practice that's now banned under a new initiative to make streets in Metro Manila safer.
In a press conference, Remulla addressed the incident in which a worker from Barangay Addition Hills was arrested while mixing cement at a construction site.
"Ako po ay humihingi ng paumanhin at pupuntahan ko po siya sa mga susunod na araw at ako na po ang hihingi ng paumanhin," he said.
"Ang gusto ko lang po, ang tanging hangarin ko ay patahimikin yung mga kalye. Ngunit dahil sa kakulangan ng aking paliwanag ay kahit sino na lang, basta walang T-shirt, ay siyang dinampot. Mali po 'yun. Nagkamali po kami roon, and I take full responsibility."
Despite this, Remulla said that the Safer Cities Initiative still continues, and that it will "progress to other forms of making the city safer." He noted that they will also be making a study by the end of April to compare focus crimes from previous years and determine whether the initiative is effectively helping reduce incidents across Metro Manila.
"So far, ang report ng aking mga regional directors and district directors ay malaki na po ang binaba ng krimen ng eight focus crimes sa Metro Manila at sa ibang mga lugar," Remulla said.
"We expect to do more, and we expect it to be better, but don't expect it to be perfect."
He underscored that he would give police clearer instructions on how to apply the policy.
Under the initiative, acts such as drinking alcohol in public streets, going shirtless outside, and having videoke sessions past 10:00 p.m. are now prohibited. Minors without proof of employment or schooling will also no longer be allowed to stay in the streets after 10:00 p.m.
In a statement by the Philippine National Police, a total of 61,549 cases were recorded from April 6 to 11 in relation to the Safer Cities Initiative. Most cases involved drinking and smoking in public places, with 18,904 incidents, followed by roaming shirtless at 5,894, minors violating curfew hours at 5,232, and karaoke beyond allowed hours at 1,276, while other ordinance violations accounted for 30,243 cases.
A total of 39,205 individuals were warned or released, 21,317 were fined, and 1,027 cases were filed in court.
