Manila may ban violent arcade games

Manila could ban violent arcade games in Internet cafes as its “Dirty Harry” mayor steps up a clean-up campaign that has seen bars demolished to clamp down on prostitution and basketball courts dismantled to ease traffic.

Mayor Alfredo Lim said popular computer games, such as “Counter Strike,” “Resident Evil,” and “Generals” could encourage violent behavior among children.

“I have asked the city council to study a possible ordinance to ban these violent computer games at Internet cafes and arcades in shopping malls,” he said yesterday.

Lim, a retired police general, is compared to the Clint Eastwood character Dirty Harry for his crusade against street crimes.

Last July, Lim ordered computer shops in Manila to deny children access to arcade games from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays to stop students skipping classes.

Since coming into office on June 30, he has demolished cafes and fun spots in Manila’s tourist districts in an effort to clamp down on drugs and prostitution, dismantled basketball courts on streets for blocking traffic and imposed tough measures against petty crimes. – Evelyn Macairan