Tokhang relaunched today

MANILA, Philippines — Starting today, police will return to knocking at the doors of suspected drug personalities, as the controversial anti-drug campaign called Oplan Tokhang is relaunched.

Even before the relaunch, four alleged drug suspects were shot dead over the weekend.

In Payatas, Quezon City, two men were gunned down after they allegedly sold shabu and engaged police in a shootout at 3:30 a.m. yesterday.

The two, identified only as Abis and Jom-jom, were killed along Legazpi street in Manahan Subdivision.

Police said they set up a transaction with Abis for P1,000 worth of shabu. After undercover operatives introduced themselves, Abis and Jom-jom allegedly pulled out their handguns and opened fire.

A rookie police officer said he was hit twice in the chest but was not injured as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

Abis and Jom-jom were able to flee on a motorcycle but were later pulled over by another police team, which was supposedly conducting an anti-crime operation.

The two suspects allegedly opened fire again, which led to a running gun battle. The two suspects died at the scene from several gunshot wounds.

Recovered at the crime scene were eight sachets said to contain shabu, a cell phone, money, a loaded 9mm pistol, weighing scales, a cal. 38 Armscor 202 revolver and the getaway motorcycle.

Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, director of Quezon City Police District (QCPD), maintained that the operation was legitimate. He claimed that as much as policemen do not want shootouts to happen, they cannot control suspects who open fire.

In Pasig City, two armed men shot dead alleged drug pusher Oliver Plagata, 32, while he was at the wake of a neighbor on Saturday. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the body.

Plagata was listed as a drug pusher in the watch list of the Pasig City police, according to Chief Supt. Reynaldo Biay, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD).

Initial investigation showed that Plagata was playing cara y cruz at the wake of a neighbor along West Bank Road in Barangay Maybunga when two suspects arrived on board a motorcycle at about 3:30 p.m.

Without a word, one of the suspects took out a handgun and opened fire at Plagata, witnesses said.

At the sound of gunfire, those who attended the wake ran in different directions leaving Plagata bleeding on the ground.

Witnesses said the suspects fled toward Barangay Rosario.

Responding elements of the EPD’s Scene of the Crime Operatives headed by Chief Inspector Dante Javinas declared Plagata dead on the spot.

Javinas recovered seven empty shells and three slugs at the crime scene. Biay ordered an investigation of the incident.

Another drug suspect was found dead along C-5 Extension on Jan. 17.

Jomar Pastrana Armada, 25, of Molino, Bacoor, Cavite was arrested by the Southern Police District’s anti-drugs unit and later charged with drug possession before a court in Las Piñas City.

Armada was last seen alive at a fastfood restaurant in Molino in the wee hours of Jan. 16. A neighbor said Armada was later chased by two unknown men. They handcuffed him and forced him into a vehicle.

The next day, Armada and Maricris del Rosario were found dead along C-5 Extension.

Del Rosario, 35, was a home keeping staff at Okada Manila.

Oplan Tokhang was suspended earlier following reports of summary killings and other abuses committed by policemen.

The police force was brought back into the fold of the drug war in December 2017.

Año demands accountability

With the resumption of Oplan Tokhang, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has released the new police guidelines on anti-illegal drug operations.

Eduardo Año, officer-in-charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), said the new PNP guidelines have more weight and demand accountability.

He vowed that the DILG and the National Police Commission (Napolcom) will be proactive in ensuring that the guidelines are fulfilled with diligence.

“With the issuance of these guidelines, we hope that the police organization will be ably guided as they provide active support to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the anti-illegal drugs campaign,” added Año, concurrent chair of Napolcom.

He also reminded that the 100-percent increase in the salaries of policemen also means that the PNP should double its efforts in weeding out the bad eggs in the police force.

“I am demanding accountability from our police officers. With the salary increase, they should shape up or ship out,” Año said.

He warned that the “one-strike policy” shall be implemented if the PNP members under a chief of police are arrested and charged due to drug-related issues.

He also warned that a police director will be relieved if two or more chiefs of police under him are axed due to illegal drugs. The same will be applied against police regional directors if two or more police provincial directors or city directors are relieved due to drug-related issue.

“Every PNP personnel is also bound to report illegal-drugs related activities and personalities within the community to a superior officer and would merit serious neglect of duty if he or she fails to do so,” he added.
Año also encouraged the public to report the abuses committed by policemen and not to be afraid.

“Sisiguruhin ko sa inyo na masisibak sila sa tungkulin kapag napatunayang nagkasala sila sa batas (I’ll make sure they will be sacked if proven that they violated the law),” he added.

CBCP to PNP: Respect life

The new head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has reiterated the call on the PNP to respect life as it relaunches today the controversial war on illegal drugs.

CBCP president and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, a close friend of Duterte, appealed to the PNP leadership to take measures that the resumption of Oplan Tokhang would not be as bloody as its previous implementation where thousands of drug suspects were killed in police anti-narcotics operations.

“Let us inspire them to follow the necessary steps when they need to apprehend. And, as much as possible, we make sure that we do not waste any lives,” Valles said in an interview with CBCPNews, the official news agency of the bishops.

He said such “waste” of lives could be avoided if only PNP operatives will strictly adhere to standard operating procedures and established guidelines.

“We pray that the police follow the prescribed steps in implementing the law – steps that should be done in exercising their responsibility as policemen,” he added.

The CBCP under its former president, Lingayen - Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, has been one of the most vocal critics of the Duterte administration’s drug war.

Such criticisms from the Church earned the ire of Duterte, who publicly attacked the Catholic Church.

With Valles assuming the top CBCP post last month, observers saw a smoother relationship between the Church and Duterte. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Ghio Ong, Edu Punay