PNP chief: No Holy Week break in drug war

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the observance of Holy Week, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa warned drug pushers and addicts that there will be no break in the war against illegal drugs.?

Dela Rosa said the PNP would continue the intensified campaign against illegal drugs even during Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday on April 15.?

“No, walang stop. Continuous, no letup, tuloy-tuloy,” Dela Rosa told a press briefing yesterday at Camp Crame, Quezon City.?

Dela Rosa said he does not encourage or discourage any police officer to do certain Catholic practices, like carrying the cross or acts of penitence.?

“That’s a personal vocation according to their own volition. Kung gusto nila (if they want), go ahead,” he added.?

More than a month after the launch of Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded, the PNP said that 107 drug suspects were killed in police operations, indicating the present campaign was “less bloody” than the previous one.?

From March 1 to yesterday, Dela Rosa said a total of 107 drug suspects have been killed and 7,940 suspects surrendered in 4,973 operations. ?

From July 2016 until January 2017, a total of 2,555 drugs suspects were killed during the PNP’s campaign against anti-illegal drugs, excluding the number of drug personalities killed by still unknown assailants.?

President Duterte, however, suspended Oplan Tokhang following reports that some scalawag policemen were engaged in tokhang-for-ransom, such as the kidnap and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo.

Oplan Tokhang was the centerpiece of the PNP’s campaign against illegal drugs. It involved visiting houses of suspected drug offenders to convince them to surrender or undergo rehabilitation.?

But after a month, Duterte ordered the PNP to resume its campaign against drugs last March as drug lords reportedly went back to business.?

Last March 6, Dela Rosa said the PNP started implementing high value target (HVT) revalidated, Oplan Tokhang revisited and double barrel reloaded.?

Under HVT revalidated, Dela Rosa said the PNP-Drug Enforcement Group replaced the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group that was dissolved amid accusations that some policemen used the war on drugs for shakedown operations.?

He noted that under the rebooted Tokhang, policemen will be revisiting the houses earlier subject to knock-and-plea of suspected drug users.

AFP, too

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will continue its operations against rebels and terrorist groups like the Abu Sayyaf and the communist New People’s Army (NPA) during the Holy Week.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said no suspension of military operations has been issued for the Lenten season.

AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Año said soldiers were ordered to continue efforts to defeat the Abu Sayyaf and protect the public from NPA atrocities.  – With Michael Punongbayan, Sheila Crisostomo, Louella Desiderio