Rey Anthony H. Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, July 6 (PIA)—The world is shrinking
literally for drug personalities and their protectors as the government
anti-illegal drive shifts to high gear, even in Bohol.
This too as the biggest success in police drive gets to Candijay
town, where 431 drug personalities composed of six pushers and 425 users
heeded to the call to come out and swear to stop their illegal
trade.
Even without Candijay’s success, Bohol has so far reported close
to a thousand drug personalities showing up in police stations to stay clear of
upcoming police operations aimed at those who still thrive on the illegal
trade.
Police operatives here increased the heat in the campaign to
bring out the drug pushers and users in a bid to issue the last and final
warning against the continued drug trade.
Upon the mandates of the newly installed Chief of the Philippine
National Police Ronald dela Rosa, Bohol police commanders in the town
implemnted “Oplan Tokhang.”
A strategy employed by then Davao police chief dela Rosa, Tokhang
or “Toktok-Hangyo” employs police officers and anti-drug advocates in the
barangays into identifying and knocking on the houses (toktok) of alleged drug
personalities to talk to them about permanently stopping (hangyo).
“We implement Oplan Tokhang to identified drug personalities as
out effort to combat illegal drugs,” explained Bohol Police chief PSSupt Dennis
Agustin.
For those who do not heed their call, police have been mandated to
implement “Oplan Double Barrel,” explained Candijay town police chief
Police Inspector Gerald Luna.
“By double barrel, we go after high value targets and low value
targets in intensive police operations and we hope it does not come to that,”
Ubay town chief PCInspector Roland Desiree Lavisto said in an interview.
The other day, Ubay police operatives in a buy bust, neutralized
Mario Ramos, Philippine Drug Enforcement Administration #9 in the list of drug
personalities in Bohol, in a buy-bust operation Purok 3, in Barangay Tapon.
Ramos, accordingly sensed the presence of the police operatives
upon consummation of the buy-bust that he drew his gun and fired at the police
officer, causing the operatives to fire back.
Ramos suffered three gunshot wounds: two between the ribs exiting
the shoulder blades and a stomach shot near the navel, the bullet lodged
inside, which may have caused his instantaneous death, according to Dr. Elaine
Aurora Castañares of the local Don Emilio del Valle Hospital, who certified the
suspect as dead on arrival.
Immediately the following day, Ubay police station posted 58 drug
personalities who voluntarily surrendered and availed of the Oplan
Tokhang.
Chief Inspector Lavisto, who has just assumed as town police chief
since July 1 said, 90% of those who surrendered that day came from Barangay
Tapon.
The day earlier, Ubay also reported 58 surrenderees.
In nearby town Candijay, PInspector Luna who expected around 200
drug personalities from its 21 barangays coming out and swearing before Mayor
Christopher Tutor, parish priest representing the church and members of the
academe in formal ceremonies today.
Inspector Luna said police have rounded up the 21 barangays and
knocked on the houses of those in the list which the Barangay Anti Drug Abuse
Councils (BADACs) submitted.
The BADAC list is fairly validated list as the council members and
not just the barangay chairmen who put in the names. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Bohol)