President Rodrigo Duterte wants a strict enforcement of city ordinances against those loitering on the streets, particularly during night time, Malacanang said on Friday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque defended Duterte's order to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to go after those persons hanging out after it different reactions from the public.

"Every Filipino deserves to be safe in the streets. The President's tambay remarks simply mean he wants a strict enforcement of city ordinances as part of making our streets safe from criminals and other unscrupulous elements," he said in a statement.

Roque also said Duterte's order was more of crime prevention.

"Hence, the president's remarks are for the police to ask those who stay late at night in the streets to go home," Roque said.

"Now, should they be arrested if they refuse? The President as a lawyer knows that if no crime has been committed, there is no basis for arrest. But just the same, he would rather that those loitering should go home so that those people with bad intentions are thwarted," he explained.

Duterte has said those vagrants who do not want to go home despite being told would be tied on the hands and head and would be dropped to Pasig River. Celerina Monte/DMS