NEW OPLAN TOKHANG

THE Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) has identified 220 new drug personalities who will be targeted initially by Oplan Tokhang in the province.

P/ Sr. Superintendent Ronald Lee, provincial director, said Tokhang teams in the towns and cities will implement the operation under new guidelines but the main mechanics will remain unchanged –  to knock on doors of the targeted drug personalities and to persuade the latter to stop his/her drug activities and surrender for processing and possibly, rehabilitation.

He stressed that among the new guidelines included the participation of religious and local governments, particularly barangay level in the teams to be led by a police officer but the PDEA remains the lead agency.

Another new operational feature is for the teams to be armed with ‘tokhang’ kits (that include surrender forms) and the drug personality may choose location where to accomplish it, whether in his/her house or other places.

Lee said the original tact was to compel the drug user/pusher to report to the police station.

In addition, Lee said, the operation of ‘tokhang’ should only be done during weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

However, he clarified that search warrants for illegal drugs, illegal firearms, and arrest warrants for wanted persons and other normal police operations will be implemented at anytime.

Lee said, Pangasinan PNP already lined up operations for the implementation of search warrant on illegal drugs, illegal firearms and wanted persons as directed by the regional office.

He added that there are still no available body-cams for Oplan Tokhang but the process for each ‘tokhang’ will be documented through mobile phones’ cam and video.

Meanwhile, PPPO is continuously in the works to account for all the drug personalities that have surrendered and completed the community-based rehabilitation program and recommended to be delisted, Lee said.

At the moment, all the 1,267 Barangays and 44 towns and 4 cities have been drug- cleared in the provincial level.

Fourteen municipalities and one city have so far been validated as cleared by the over sight committee, namely: Laoac, Agno, Anda, Dasol, Burgos, Mabini, Natividad, San Nicolas, Alcala, Malasiqui, Sta. Maria, Mapandan, Sison and Alaminos City, and Sto. Tomas as never been affected from illegal drugs.

Lee said the towns of Labrador, San Jacinto, Basista, Aguilar, Urbiztondo, Bautista, Binalonan, Bugallon, Calasiao and Lingayen are expected to be cleared by the oversight committee soon. (Nora Dominguez)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments