Isko Moreno slams new ‘vandalism,' calls it waste of taxes

MANILA, Philippines— An irked Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso faced the media on Monday after discovering spraypaint graffiti on a telecom box near the Manila City Hall.

Moreno tried to remove the spray paint graffiti, which says “CLIFFF261,” using a paint thinner but failed.

The Manila mayor then slammed those who did the graffiti and said the act was a waste of people’s money and taxes. It takes manpower and resources, he said, to restore the defaced of public properties in the capital city.

“Ito art? Thinner? Ayaw matanggal! Thinner ng gobyerno ito, pera ng tao ginamit. Natatatanggal ba? Ano’ng gagawin? Pipinturahan namin. Tosgas na naman!” the mayor said.

(This is art? Thinner? We can’t remove it! This is government’s thinner; we used the people’s money. Was it removed? What shall we do? We will repaint it! Another expense!)

Moreno said expenses for the paint could’ve been used for medicines for citizens. He added that it could also be used for nails, cement and other materials to shore up existing infrastructure.

Citizens have the right to express themselves, Moreno argued, but vandalism does not fall under those rights.

“Pinakialaman ko ba sila sa karapatan nila? Malaya kayo sa Maynila. Pero wala kayong karapatang babuyin kami sa Maynila," he said.

(Did I hamper your right? You are free in Manila but you have no right to make Manila filthy.)

The new graffiti spraypaint came days after the Manila government repainted portions of Lagusnilad underpass after the cultural arm of activist youth group Anakbayan, Panday Sining, sprayed protest slogans over it.

The Department of Engineering and Public Works led the repainting of the portions of the Manila underpass.

Moreno earlier criticized Panday Sining and threatened to have them wipe off the protest art using their tongues.

The Manila government also reminded the public against vandalizing in public and private properties.

It said that city government's Anti-Vandalism ordinance is still in effect. The city’s Ordinance No. 7971 prohibits any person from defacing public and private property.

You do note Cassie that there is an existing ordinance against vandalism in the nation’s capital.#AlertoManileno pic.twitter.com/uBr1nPDsAP

— Manila Public Information Office (@ManilaPIO) November 12, 2019

The city's engineering department again led the cleaning of the telecom box spraypainted by graffiti on Monday.

WATCH: Manila government paints over protest slogans at underpass