60 rugby boys, Badjaos picked up from downtown Manila streets

At least 60 people, many of them women and babies, were "rescued" from the streets of downtown Manila in a clearing operation before dawn Thursday.

 

City police and village officials brought the 60 to the local social welfare office in four jeeps, radio dzBB's Paulo Santos reported.

 

The report said the clearing operation covered areas such as Rizal Avenue, Dimasalang, Antipolo, and Blumentritt.

 

Police were quoted in the report as saying the operation also aimed to "rescue" the so-called rugby boys and "batang hamog" who had been linked to begging and petty thefts.

 

Among those rescued were Badjaos, some of whom claimed they were in Manila to sell cheap jewelry.

 

The report quoted some of them as saying they were forced to sleep in the streets because they had no permanent address. –KG, GMA News