Bato shrugs scrapping of ‘Tokhang’ term

FILE: PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa (Photo: Philippine National Police/ Facebook)

Outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said that results matter more than the name, amid calls to drop the term “Tokhang” in anti-illegal drug operations.

“What is important is the result, anong nangyari sa kampanya mo (what happened in your campaign). Wala iyan sa pangalan (It is not in the name),” Dela Rosa told reporters on Tuesday.

“We’ll take in ‘yung kanyang (his) suggestion, but what’s in a name?” he added.

The PNP chief was referring to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino’s suggestion to drop the word ‘Tokhang’ as it has been associated with the bloody side of the administration campaign to eradicate illegal drugs.

“For us sa (in) PDEA, I suggest there will be no more slogans, no more ‘Tokhangs’ no more ‘Double Barrels,’ just plain buy-bust operations. Simple lang naman ‘yan eh (It is really that simple),” Aquino told reporters on Monday.

“Tokhang is just to appeal to the drug personality to surrender. That’s it. Pero ang connotation ng Tokhang sa karamihan ng masa is killing (But the connotation of Tokhang to most of the mass is killing),” he explained.

For Aquino, the term is misleading and is remembered for the casualties of the drug war instead of its purpose. He, however, said that the campaign itself is great.

However, Dela Rosa said that the issue of the campaign name is the “least of his concern.”

“Magbabago ka ng pangalan (You will change the name), you are trying to deodorize your campaign to make it appear more palatable to the critics. Hahanapan ka pa rin ng butas d’yan, gagawan ka ng kuwento (They will still look for holes, and they will make up stories),” he said.

Oplan Tokhang is the operation in which the police knocks on doors and asks drug criminals to surrender. However, most cases reported ended up with criminals allegedly fighting back and resisting arrest (nanlaban) – which cause them to lose their lives.

The word ‘Tokhang’ came from the Cebuano words ‘Toktok-hangyo’ meaning ‘knock and plead.’