The criminal gang True Brown Style (TBS), which authorities accuse of recruiting minors into criminal activities, has established a presence in 78 of the Philippines’ 83 provinces, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
Remulla said Wednesday that the group has members across more than 90% of the country’s provinces, including Metro Manila. He said the size of TBS groups varies, with larger concentrations reportedly found in urban areas.
According to Remulla, the organization allegedly operates through local structures, with leaders at the barangay and municipal levels and recruitment activities aimed at bringing younger members into the group.
He said authorities became concerned about TBS after observing a rise in certain crimes despite declines in other offenses following the implementation of the Safer Cities program. Remulla said robbery cases increased while reports of rape, physical violence, physical injuries and juvenile curfew violations declined.
Authorities subsequently linked some of the robbery incidents to TBS, based on the intelligence gathered, according to Remulla.
The secretary also alleged that recruitment involves violent initiation activities. He said some young recruits are allegedly required to participate in armed robberies before being accepted into the group, while older members are then used to recruit and influence younger teenagers.
Remulla further alleged that some minors exposed to the group were later involved in making bomb threats and gun threats against schools. These claims are part of the ongoing government investigation into the group’s activities and alleged influence on young people.
The PNP has responded by activating an intelligence-driven campaign aimed at identifying TBS members, disrupting recruitment and preventing the organization from expanding its influence among minors.
PNP chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said authorities would focus on detecting recruitment early and coordinating with schools and local governments before criminal groups become more deeply established in communities.
The police and the Department of the Interior and Local Government have also urged parents to monitor their children’s mobile-phone communications as part of efforts to identify possible recruitment or contact with criminal groups.
Authorities said the campaign will focus not only on apprehending suspected members but also on preventing minors from being drawn into criminal activities. The scale of the reported TBS presence has prompted the government to strengthen intelligence gathering and coordination with local communities as the investigation continues.
