New and Improved: Invite to QC antidrug gab loses ‘threat’

The tone of a letter inviting residents of a Quezon City barangay to a consultative meeting with the police on the antidrug campaign has gone from threatening to persuasive.

From warning residents that skipping the meeting would lead to a house visit by the police, the “new and improved” letter now encourages everyone to actively participate “because we value so much your contributions to finally win the war on drugs and criminality.”

The letter written by Lolita Dl. Singson, Barangay Teachers Village East chair, invites residents to an “Oplan Taphang” consultative meeting on Dec. 17 with Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar as speaker.

Revisions

It underwent revisions after residents reacted negatively, particularly to the part which made attendance compulsory. “All residents and homeowners … must attend. If you cannot come, please send an adult family representative.”

Even more worrying was the threat that should a homeowner fail to attend or send a qualified representative (household helpers excluded), “the police team of Oplan Tokhang together with barangay representatives will come knocking at your door.”

Modified campaign

In the new letter, Singson explained that the meeting was in line with the government’s modified antidrug campaign Oplan Taphang (gather and plead) and meant to inform residents about the police’s peace and order agenda, including the drug problem in the country.

Instead of requiring attendance, the letter now goes: “We … recommend that only adult members of the family should attend the dialogue as some of the topics may be to sensitive for minors.”

It also ends with a plea for unity and cooperation: “We are hoping for your earnest cooperating in helping address the drug menace in the country. Rest assured, we shall continuously knock on your doors and plead on your hearts to build a more peaceful and drug-free community.”