Director General Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has promised a less bloody campaign against drug personalities in its re-entry to the anti-drugs war of President Duterte.
“This time, we will make sure that this will become less bloody if not bloodless campaign,” said dela Rosa.
The national police force’s re-entry to the illegal drugs campaign is marked yesterday with the launching of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group and the re-launching of the already existing anti-drugs campaign such as Project Double Barrel Reloaded, Tokhang Revisited and HVT (High-Value Target) Revalidated.
Project Double Barrel refers to the two-pronged approach targeting street drug pushing on one side and the suppliers on the other side while the Tokhang is the house visitation of suspected drug pushers or users by the cops who would appeal to them and their family to change.
The High-Value Target Revalidation, on the other hand, focuses on identification of government officials and other prominent personalities involved in the illegal drugs trade.
Dela Rosa admitted that he already received the go-signal for the PNP to restart the campaign against illegal drugs from the President last week.
But he said he had to request for ample time since they are yet to organize a team that could be trusted in carrying out illegal drugs operations.
“I requested for ample time because we want to make sure that the mistakes committed in the past will not be repeated,” said dela Rosa.
The PNP-DEG is a replacement to the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group which was abolished after at least four of its men, including an officer with a rank equivalent to lieutenant colonel in the military, were implicated in the kidnap-slay of a South Korean executive who was taken under a guise of police operation and was later killed right inside Camp Crame in Quezon City.
While assuring that of a less bloody anti-drugs campaign, dela Rosa admitted that it would be difficult to promise for a bloodless operation as he insists that cornered drug personalities choose to fight it off with lawmen.
“Our aim is a bloodless campaign if possible, but this is war, so what may happen is less bloody,” said dela Rosa.
“Basta walang lumalaban, walang dadanak na dugo,” he emphasized.
INTER-FAITH TOKHANG
Part of the re-entry of the PNP in the anti-drugs war is a new approach for the implementation of its Oplan Tokhang which is usually being done by the police.
But this time, dela Rosa said they will be inviting priests, imam and even leaders of other religious groups to go with the police in the conduct of house visitation.
He added that unlike before where Tokhang implementation is being done by police, the revised Tokhang will have barangay officials and the chief of police to lead it.
“We will include the barangay officials and priests in the community because our emphasis here is the accountability of the commanders,” said dela Rosa.
“But this is not only limited to Catholic Church, all the other religious groups are being considered here so we think this would really be good,” he added.
SCREENING PROCESS
Senior Supt. Graciano Mijares, the appointed commander of the PNP-DEG, said they will be conducting screening process as they try to complete the lineup of the newly-created anti-narcotics unit of the PNP.
“We will scrutinize all the personnel who will be joining, we want to put the right persons in this job,” said Mijares. (AARON B. RECUENCO)