SILG Remulla open to dialogue with TBS

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Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday said he is open to a dialogue with the True Brown Style (TBS) but the group must express commitment to stop its alleged criminal activities.

“Of course, but a dialogue must come with a commitment to stopping their nefarious activities,” Remulla said in an ambush interview.

Remulla made the statement after TBS Worldwide and other chapters defended their group, calling authorities to not generalize its members as criminals.

But Remulla said charitable activities do not erase alleged wrongdoing,

“That's their version of the truth. But we have our version. You know what they're doing? Alam niyo yung cosmetic, it doesn't hide the truth,” he said.

“They are really behind a lot of the sa mga kalokohan ng mga kabataan ngayon (illegal activities involving minors). We appreciate what they're doing but we're still not stopping, it's not stopping us from getting them,” he added.

Remulla said authorities already have a list of involved TBS members.

In a statement, TBS Worldwide said, “HUWAG LAHATIN. Hindi lahat ng may TBS sa pangalan, kulay, o affiliation ay kriminal. Hindi lahat ng TBS members pare-pareho ang ginagawa,” TBS Worldwide said in a Facebook post.

(DO NOT GENERALIZE. Not everyone with TBS in their name, color, or affiliation is a criminal. Not all TBS members do the same thing.)

“Marami sa amin ay professionals, workers, parents, business owners, at ordinaryong mamamayang sumusunod sa batas,” it added.

(Many of us are professionals, workers, parents, business owners, and ordinary law-abiding citizens.)

According to the group, some TBS members even help their communities and support people in need.

The group called on authorities to hold accountable those who commit crimes, while ensuring that allegations are backed by evidence and involved persons are given due process.

Remulla on Wednesday said members of the community-based criminal gang TBS have established a presence in all local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila and in 78 provinces.

He described cases involving TBS as extremely alarming that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered authorities to dismantle the organization.

According to authorities, the group is composed largely of members in their late teens and early 20s and also recruits children as young as 14 to 15 years old and grooms them for criminal activities. Initiation rites for new members may include robbing convenience stores at gunpoint. —VAL, GMA News