SAN PEDRO CITY鈥擨t was such a stern warning against reckless dumping of trash on the streets that it immediately drew the attention of residents of Santo Angel village in San Pablo City and of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Written in bold, red letters on a 2-meter-by-4-meter tarpaulin, the warning read: 鈥淭o all passersby, dumping trash here is prohibited. If we catch you, you sons of bitches, we will take you out with your trash. 鈥擟hairman 鈥楧ok鈥� Ticzon.鈥�
Apparently inspired by trash-talking President Rodrigo Duterte, the warning was hung two weeks ago in a part of the village of 10,000 where houses were sparse.
Crass message
A picture of the warning was shared on social media, with some users saying they found the message crass.
Facebook user Susan Detillo said she was worried about the effects of the warning on children.
She also protested the use of foul language in government communication.
Elmor N Thess Monteiro, another Facebook user, found the warning a 鈥済ood example of an action influenced by the President.鈥�
The combustible Mr. Duterte is notorious for his foul language, for which he does not apologize and which his aides defend as his style of 鈥渕essaging.鈥�
Reached by cell phone on Thursday, Cesarito Ticzon, Santo Angel village chief, said the warning was his idea.
He said he had received calls from the DILG telling him the sign would be pulled down if the public complained.
Not afraid
鈥淚鈥檓 not afraid of that,鈥� Ticzon said. 鈥淚 only want to keep our village clean.鈥�
Ticzon, a dentist, said trash dumping in that part of the village had always been a problem and he blamed the mess on neighboring Rizal and Nagcarlan towns.
鈥淲e would go through the trash and find IDs, bills and receipts [that could be traced to the two towns],鈥� he said.
He said the village council had tried preventive measures, such as installing streetlights in the area and imposing penalties, but nothing worked.
鈥淥ne time we sent the garbage back where it came from, [but] they did not care,鈥澛� he said. 鈥淪o I thought maybe [this warning would] scare them a bit.鈥�
鈥楯ust words鈥�
Asked to explain the 鈥渨e will take you out with your trash鈥� in the warning, he said: 鈥淭hose are just words that mean we will put you where your garbage is.鈥�
People should not worry about something like Mr. Duterte鈥檚 brutal war on drugs, with bullet-riddled bodies being found on trash heaps, as Ticzon gave assurance that he did not mean physical harm to anyone.
He denied, however, that the measure was inspired by President Duterte.