Antidrug cops meet Valle Verde residents: Like courting a woman

Residents of an upscale subdivision in Pasig City sat down in a dialogue on Thursday with the police who plan to take the antidrug campaign into their gated community.

In a meeting with Eastern Police District (EPD) officials, around 50 members and officers of the Valle Verde homeowners association were presented EPD’s plans regarding “Oplan Tokhang.”

The residents, however, said they would first have to study the proposed “partnership” with the police in conducting Tokhang which, when earlier applied mostly to poorer communities, has policemen knocking on the doors of known drug pushers or users to make them “surrender” and be documented.

According to Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, the EPD director, they will conduct a “modified” campaign wherein they will distribute leaflets instead of knocking on the doors of houses.

Sapitula also spoke of a proposed memorandum of agreement (MOA) wherein the homeowners are expected to report illegal drug transactions in the village and work closely with the police to go after the perpetrators.

Buenaventura Vergel de Dios, the Valle Verde 1 homeowners association president, said they would conduct a town hall meeting to discuss the contents of the MOA.

“Our (Valle Verde’s) only reservation about the conduct of the Oplan Tokhang is if it will be used in the right way,” Teodoro Bonifacio, a lawyer and one of the village councilors, told the Inquirer in an interview.

“Based from my experience before, from what I’ve seen and heard and read on the newspaper, the Philippine National Police has a very low credibility. But now they are doing something about it. We want to cooperate. We want to see the contents of the MOA,” Bonifacio said.

He cited earlier cases filed against some Valle Verde residents arrested for alleged drug pushing, which were eventually dismissed.

“Trust is earned. We know what exactly the play is these days. We’re not new to it. We observe and we watch. The small infractions are still infractions,” Bonifacio said, referring to the abuses and irregularities committed by policemen. “To regain our trust, the police should continue what they’re doing.  Show that there is no letup, no favoritism. All we ask the police is to level the playing field. We want to see that. That’s why we are open to talking to them.”

The same apprehensions were raised by Dr. Patria Arañas, village administrator of Valle Verde 5, and assistant secretary of the Integrated Homeowners Association of Pasig (IHAP). “We have to admit the image of the police is not even good, and therefore, it’s hard to imagine (Oplan) Tokhang in villages.

“In the first place, we really do not allow entry. People get nervous easily when they see the police’s marked vehicles,” Arañas said.

Still, Sapitula said he was very happy with the turnout in Thursday’s dialogue. “The fact that we were allowed to enter the premises of Valle Verde is already a breakthrough. This is just the start.”

“Our modified Oplan Tokhang program is like courting a young woman. Each community has different culture, rules and regulations. You cannot force entry. We respect and adhere to the rules of the village. And if a house is clean (no irregularities), there is nothing to fear,” said the EPD chief.