What initially appeared as a crackdown on a street performer along Colon Street was clarified Friday as a case of illegal begging.
The Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Office (CCAMO) said the man apprehended was not cited for performing as a “statue man,” but for actively soliciting money from the public, which is prohibited under the city’s anti-mendicancy ordinance.
“Wala siya gidakop kay nag ‘statue man’ siya. Gidakop siya kay siya nanglimos,” CCAMO stated.
Authorities explained that the individual is known to alternate between performing as a human statue and directly asking for money.
While street performances, including “statue man” acts, are allowed, actively soliciting alms constitutes a violation.
“If he is performing only, we do not apprehend him because it is not covered under the definition of mendicancy,” the office said.
CCAMO emphasized that voluntary donations from passersby do not make performers violators.
However, the line is crossed when individuals directly ask for money in public spaces.
“In this video, he was begging. In the incident where he was apprehended, we clarify that he was asking for money and not performing as a statue man,” CCAMO said.
The clarification comes as the city government continues daily enforcement of City Ordinance No. 1631, which penalizes both begging and giving alms in public areas.
Operations aim to regulate sidewalk use, maintain public order, and provide social welfare interventions, especially for vulnerable sectors. (LLP)
