Bato wants ‘narco’ celebrities to surrender

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa yesterday urged celebrities who are into illegal drugs to change their ways or surrender.

He said police offices will soon start visiting the homes and workplaces of celebrities reported to be users or pushers as part of Oplan Tokhang.

He said President Duterte will furnish him a list of show business personalities and other celebrities who are allegedly into drugs.

“If they surrender, I think they don’t deserve to be jailed to give them a chance to reform, just like we did with other ordinary drug users,” Dela Rosa told reporters during a break in the deliberations of the proposed P147.7 billion budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

He said the PNP officials can also gather a group of celebrities in one place and plead with them to stop using illegal drugs in a “modified Tokhang.”

“We’ll tell them as a group that you’ve been identified (as drug users) and please stop because you’re an embarrassment to our countrymen. The youth idolize you and it turns out, you’re into drugs,” Dela Rosa said.