Marikina cops implement ‘Tokhang’ in villages

MANILA, Philippines - Officers from the Eastern Police District (EPD) led by district director, Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula on Saturday implemented the Philippine National Police’s “Oplan Tokhang” in Marikina City.

Accompanied by Marikina City Police chief, Senior Superintendent Lorenzo Holanday, the EPD personnel started the “Oplan Tokhang” at about 6 a.m. at Barangay Tumana.

The police team was also accompanied by the EPD’s police officer mascot “PO1 Tokhang” as they visited houses to hand out flyers detailing the dangers of drug addiction.

According to the EPD, the “Oplan Tokhang” they conducted in Marikina, which they refer to as “Brigada Tokhang,” is different as the police officers who distributed the flyers, were accompanied by surrendered drug addicts who try to convince other drug users to surrender to police.

At about 11 a.m., EPD officials met with homeowners of the Loyola Grand Villas subdivision and inked a memorandum of agreement.

“The agreement will allow us to conduct an Oplan Tokhang inside the subdivision. Under the agreement, the subdivision officers must also report to police any illegal drug activity inside the subdivision,” said Sapitula.

“Oplan Tokhang” or Operation Tokhang is a contraction of the Visayan words “Toktok” (knock) and “Hangyo” (request).

Under the program, which is being implemented nationwide, police officers, the local government units and barangay officials will visit the houses of drug users and then will try to convince them to surrender for rehabilitation.