PNP Spray-paints Beach Cottages Used for Prostitution
Published in The Manila Times
(January 30, 2000)
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- Instead of spray -- painting houses of suspected drug dealers here, the provincial police spray-paint beach cottages used as prostitution dens in this capital town.
Painted in red are the words, "Off Limits, Prostitution Den."
Senior Supt. Joel Goltiao police provincial director, said the move was in accordance with Reublic Act 7610, which protects children from abuse and exploitation, and RA 7658, which prohibits the employment of children.
He said young girls, aged 18 years old and below, were luredinto prostitutionhere by cottage owners.
"We acted that thri children cut classes and date at the cottages," he said. "Although it is primarily the parents' responsibility to look after their children, we also have the moral authority to look after their welfare."
Ordinance Not needed
Goltiao said that unlike the spray-painting camp aign against houses of suspected drug dealers, the drive on prostitution did not need a local ordinance.
"We follow rules. Only the cottages where prostitutes are caught in the act will be spraypainted," he said.
Six cottages were spray-painted at the back of the Urduja House, the governor's official residence; These structures are owned by one Aurora de Guzman, 50, according to the police, but it was not.known whether she is engaged in prostitutio I n or merely rents out the cottages.
De Guzman is under police custody.
In a raid Saturday, police caught a 17 year-old girl in a sexual act with a customer inside one of the cottages. The cottages are made of nipa and wood.
,"A customer pays P800 for the rent of the cottage and the prostitute. More than 100 cottages have behind the Urduja House were issued permits to operate sheds by the local government.
"But they usually put up closed cottages, not sheds," Zgoltiao said. "It is really shameful that right behind the seat of power, prostitution is openely pracited, so we decided to monitor the operations of the cottages and spray-paint them."
Cagayan Valley
In Tuguegarao City, Senior Supt. Thompson Lantion, Cagayan valley police director , directed all provincial police directors to seek the local governments' enactment of ordinances authorizing the use of spray-painting to fight drug trafficking in the region.
This came after Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile gave police and local government officials 90 days to rid the rgion of drug pushers and users.
During the inauguration of Tuguegarao Cityu, Enrile threatened to bring to the region Inerior Secretary Alfredo Lim and Deputy Director General Panfilo Lacson, PNP chief, to help the local police.
Enrile lamented that illegal drug trafficking is very rampant in Gnzaga, his hometown.
Lantion said he was endorsing the passage of ordinances authorising spray-painting initially in urban centers, such as Aparri and Tuguegarao in Cagayan , and in Cauayan, Ilagan and Solano Isabela.
In Cagayan, the provincial police have started replacing station commanders where drug use is rampant. Scheduled for revamp are police officals in Gonzaga, Aparri, Bellaesteros, and Solana towns.
Other Proposals
In Davao City, Robinson Montalba, vice chair of the human rights group Karapatan in Southern Mindanao, said the Court of Appeals' decision declaring the spray-painting campaign as unconstitutional was no reason to rejoice.
The government is still serioucly considering proposals to use th Army in running after marijuana planters in the countrysides, Montalba said.
He also cited a plan of the Union of local Government Authorities of the Philippines top post the names and pictures of suspected drug pushers in town plazas and the anti-drug quarantine scheme in Marikina City.
Montalba disputed that the appellate court's decision would make drug lords rejoice. They were the ones who benefitted from Lim's spray-painting campaign as the public's attention was focused on small-time drug pushers, he said.
Drug-free house
In Zamboanga City, Chief Supt. Dominador Domingo Jr., Western Mondano police director, Supt. Karib muammil, to implement an antidrug spray-painting campaign.
"However, instead of using the messages of Secretary Lim, we are going to have our own," Muammil told the INQUIRER.
To be spray-painted will be "Walang nakatirang drug pusher o drug addict dito" or " This is a drugfree house."
"Muammil said the campaign would also involve barangay officials and would solicit "the consent and knowledge of house owners and occupants."
With reports from Estanislao Caidez, PDI Northern Luzon Bureau, and Jowel F Canuday and Julie S. Alipala-Inot, PDI Mindanao 'Bureau
BY YOLA NDA FUERTES PDI
Northern Luzon Bureau
