Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the alleged presence of a syndicate behind Badjaos begging in Iloilo City.
According to Jeck Conlu, head of the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Managament Office (PSTMO), Treñas wants to find out why Badjaos are keep on coming back to the city.
“Gusto ya (Treñas) mabal-an kon may ara gid man handlers ukon nagakapot sini sa ila,” he said.
The PSTMO and the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) discovered late last year that Badjaos were sending “big amounts of money” to Mindanao via money remittance centers in the city.
Conlu said they have documents to prove the money remittance transactions made by the Badjao people.
Begging and giving alms to beggars are prohibited in the city.
Under City Regulation Ordinance 2002-400, mendicants are liable to fines of P500, imprisonment of not more than a year, or both fine and imprisonment.
Giving alms, on the other hand, is punishable by a fine of P500 or community service.
Also under the ordinance, any person, syndicate or group who utilize and exploit minors, disabled and infirm persons in the mendicancy trade shall suffer a penalty of P2,000 in fine and imprisonment of not less than two months.
The PSTMO has so far counted 89 Badjaos roaming around the city begging for alms.
Conlu said he is expecting the number to increase these “ber months.”
In the Philippines, the Christmas season begins in September.
Conlu said Treñas ordered him to send back the Badjao people to Mindanao via airplane at the soonest possible time.
“Nag-ask na kita sa Philippine Air Force nga magprovide sang aircraft para sa ila deportation.
We are just waiting for the availability of their C130 air craft,” he said.
In Sept.last year, the city government spent P225,000 to transport Badjaos back to where they came from.
“Indi lang last year kita nagfacilitate sa pagpabalik sa ila kundi sa mga previous years pagid,” Conlu said.IMT
