CAMP TOLENTINO, Bataan – No amount of storm could stop Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa from traveling to Bataan just for him to witness about 600 drug pushers who all surrendered to authorities.
Dela Rosa did not want to miss this major episode early in their campaign against illegal drugs which he hopes will eventually be replicated in the entire country.
This despite the onslaught of heavy rains brought about by typhoon Butchoy that continue to batter provinces up North.
“I know that the Bataan PNP men and women are with me in my campaign against illegal drugs and crimes, but those who are not with me will be sanctioned,” said dela Rosa. “We have a president (Duterte) who is hell bent in the campaign against illegal drugs, corruption and crimes, and I asked you not to squander it.”
Witnessing the event was Bataan governor Abet S. Garcia, police directors of Region 3, local official and the media.
In the same ceremony, Dela Rosa lauded the efforts of former Bataan PNP police director Sr. Supt. Rhodel Sermonia who spearheaded their anti-drugs campaign called “Oplan Tokhang”.
Set to be replaced by Sr. Supt. Benjamin Asilo, Sermonia told media that their “Oplan Tokhang” was actually patterned after Dela Rosa’s own anti-drug program in Davao City.
Dela Rosa later on revealed a ‘Bahay pag-asa” program will be established to help the drug pushers go through a reformation program through counselling and spiritual advises among others.
Meantime in the province of Cavite, About 100 drug users have voluntarily surrendered after the implementation of the PNP’s “Oplans Tokhang and Double Barrel”.
Police officials are confident about a hundred more are expected to surrender in the next few days in the province’s upland and lowland districts.
Most of the drug dependents who gave up were from the provice’s capital of Imus, Alfonso and Tagaytay City. (With a report from Anthony Giron) (MAR T. SUPNAD)