MANILA, Philippines - A total of 362 drug users voluntarily surrendered on Friday to the Taguig City Police to get rehabilitated as the city police rolled out its “Oplan Tokhang.”
“Oplan Tokhang” or Operation Tokhang is a contraction of the Visayan words “Toktok” (knock) and “Hangyo” (request).
Under the program, which was launched simultaneously nationwide on Friday, police, the local government units and barangay officials will visit the houses of drug users and then will try to convince them to surrender for rehabilitation.
“Ang purpose nito ay ‘wag i-harm ang ating nga kababayan dito sa Taguig. Sila (drug users) ay pinuntahan sa mga bahay nila at pinakiusapan na mag-voluntary surrender na para hindi sila mapahamak sa gagawing matinding operasyon ng ating kapulisan,” said Senior Inspector Arnel Amador, chief of the Taguig Police’s Police Community Relations office.
Amador said the 362 drug users who surrendered to the police were accompanied by their respective barangay chairmen from the city’s 28 barangays.
According to Amador, drug users who surrendered were made to sign a certification that they will no longer use illegal drugs and that they are willing to seek rehabilitation.
“Yung mga sumukong drug users, sila po ay imo-monitor, meron kaming binigay sa kanila na certification na iiwas na sila sa droga, at imo-monitor po natin. At meron po kaming isa pang certification na kung gusto nilang magpa-rehab, tutulungan po sila ng ating kapulisan,” he said.
Amador said the Taguig City Police will also be negotiating with the Taguig City government for free drug rehabilitation of those who surrendered.
“Lalakarin po natin na maging libre ang kanilang gastos dahil nga may bayad dun sa mga private na rehabilitation,” he said.
One of those who surrendered, 63-year-old Romeo Evangelista, a resident of Baragay Bagumbayan said he decided to give up and seek rehabilitation following the advice of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Ito na ang pagkakataon para ako ay magbago. Sa sinabi ng ating pangulo ako ay hindi natatakot dahil gusto ko talagang magbago,” said Evangelista who claims to have been addicted to shabu for almost 12 years.
“Kusang loob ang pagpunta ko dito dahil gusto ko na talagang magbago. Malaki ang nawala sa akin at sana yung mga dati kong kakilala ay ‘di naman ako iiwasan, lalo na ng pamilya ko,” he said.
“Ako ay napapahiya. Lahat ng bisyo hindi ko tinikman. Kung bakit noong ako ay nagka-edad, yan pa ang natutunan. Inuuna ko yan kaysa sa pagkain ng pamilya ko,” he added.