Tokhang returns; requires human rights advocate in ops

FILE: Policemen of the Philippine National Police (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) returned to the drug operation scenes on January 29 with their new guidelines requiring human rights advocates to join the operations.

Signed by PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on January 23, the return of Oplan Tokhang comes with new guidelines after the controversies that surrounded it.

Written in its guidelines, “The Tokhang team shall be joined by at least one representative from any concerned ADAC (anti-drug abuse council), at least one representative from PNP HRAO (Human Rights Affairs Office) or any Human Rights Advocate.”

After all the human rights criticisms the police received, they are now more inclined to emphasize human rights in their operations.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos said on Wednesday said, “The more salient items in the 12-point guidelines prescribe that ‘Rule of Law’ shall always prevail during the conduct of all anti-illegal drug-related activities, including ‘Tokhang’ activities, and Respect for Human Rights shall be strictly observed at all times.”

Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) and National Police Commission (Napolcom) Chairman Eduardo Año said on Sunday that they “will keep a close eye” on PNP’s implementation and operation of the new Oplan Tokhang.

According to him, this “is to ensure that allegations of human rights violations against police officers involved in anti-illegal drugs operations will be a thing of the past.”

In October 12, PNP stopped its anti-illegal drug operations as PDEA took the lead in the President’s campaign versus illegal drugs.

(Read: PNP bids goodbye to ‘Tokhang’)

“Dito [sa Oplan Tokhang] kami napapasama dahil itong mga pumapatay na ito’y pinagbibintangan na mga pulis o kaya tino-tolerate ng pulis (Oplan Tokhang is what blackens our image because the police are pointed as either the ones behind the killings or the ones who tolerate it),” Dela Rosa said in an interview with DZMM then.

Oplan Tokhang (Lower Barrel approach) is the police’s door-to-door operation warning drug-users to stop their activities and surrender for rehabilitation.

The word ‘Tokhang’ came from the Cebuano words ‘Toktok-hangyo’ meaning ‘knock and plead.’ It was controversial for the alleged killings of those who resisted arrest (or nanlaban).