Tokhang is back

MANILA -- Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa announced Monday the resumption of the government's anti-drug campaign, Oplan Tokhang.

In a press conference held at Camp Crame, Quezon City, Dela Rosa said the campaign is now called "Oplan Tokhang 2: Project Double Barrel Reloaded."

Dela Rosa promised to make the campaign "less bloody" or "bloodless".

"Basta walang lalaban, walang dadanak na dugo," said Dela Rosa.

The PNP chief said Catholic priests can now join police teams who will conduct the anti-drug campaign on the ground.

"Hindi naman talaga mandatory na kapag walang pari na sasama na hindi na sila makapagtokhang," said Dela Rosa.

However, Senator Risa Hontiveros said the return of Oplan Tokhang will only result in more suffering and needless deaths and it will be used by corrupt and abusive policemen as cover for acts of extortion and murder.

"The President himself has said that nearly 40 percent of the police force is engaged in illegal activities. Prudence demands that the cleansing of the PNP [Philippine National Police] and regaining the trust of the public be our first priorities," Hontiveros said.

On January 30, Dela Rosa suspended all antidrug operations after the involvement of some policemen in the kidnap-slay of a Korean citizen.

On October 18, 2016, Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo was taken from

his home in Angeles City. He was brought to PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City and strangled to death allegedly by cops assigned to the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group.

The ensuing public outcry on the Korean's death had prompted the PNP to dissolve all its anti-illegal units nationwide.

Before the suspension of Oplan Tokhang, the war on drugs has claimed over 7,000 lives, 2,555 came from police operations and another 3,603 unsolved drugrelated killings, many presumed to be extrajudicial in nature. SunStar Philippines