PNP vows to intensify ‘Double Barrel’

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos yesterday vowed to strengthen the Duterte administration’s war on drugs under Oplan “Double Barrel finale” by focusing on drug trafficking and addiction problems in the barangays.

Carlos said the Double Barrel version 2022 would wind down, with the police focusing on barangay development programs to address the drug menace.

The Barangay Anti-Abuse Councils (BADACs) will also be intensified with police visibility in the communities, according to Carlos.

“This will be marked with a strengthened coordination between the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. We will continue the drug supply reduction and recovery program for drug dependents. Most of all, we will strengthen our BADACs and their force multipliers,” he said in a radio interview.

Oplan Double Barrel was launched in 2016 by the drug war’s brains, then PNP chief and now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa. It was comprised of two components: Oplan Tokhang and Oplan High-Value Target.

Last year, former PNP chief Camilo Cascolan revised the operational plan by targeting high-value drug suspects, ending Oplan Tokhang, which focused on small-scale pushers and users.

Carlos’ vision veers away from the drug war that was continued by his predecessor, retired Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.

Carlos said the final version of Oplan Double Barrel would end with drug dependents’ recoveries in the center of the program.

“This is more of reaching out to the victims or the drug addicts so they can change,” he said.

“What’s important here in what we’re calling the finale, is how we will finish the drug war of the administration on June 30. We hope we see the totality of our approach in the war on drugs,” Carlos added.

According to the PNP records, the Duterte administration’s drug war has killed over 6,000 people since 2016, but human rights groups believe that thousands more have been executed by unidentified gunmen.

Body mass index

Meanwhile, Carlos said the PNP would be reinstating the body mass index (BMI) program among police officers, which was sidetracked due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carlos said the renewed thrust on keeping police officers fit for duty would be “responsibility-based.”

“We will continue the BMI program,” he said. “But it should be their individual responsibility to keep themselves healthy because that is required in our job.”

The PNP has said only 102,600 police officers or 54 percent are at their ideal weight while nine percent or 17,100 are obese. The rest are overweight.

“Our job on the ground is not a joke. Keep ourselves fit – this is our responsibility. Monitor your own BMI,” Carlos said, asking police officers to take advantage of the physical and mental wellness programs of the PNP.