PDEA confident joint operations with PNP will go well

A reformed campaign against illegal drugs by the Philippine National Police may yet make a difference in the conduct of operations the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is planning with the PNP.

At a press conference on Thursday, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino expressed optimism over the revival of the PNP’s antinarcotics campaigns, Double Barrel and Tokhang, following adjustments made by top police officials.

Joint operations

“For the coming months, we will have joint operations with the PNP and I am positive that the operations will go well,” he said.

According to Aquino, Oplan Tokhang (knock and plead) is a good program, except that the word “tokhang” has been “corrupted.”

PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa earlier assured the public that guidelines will be drafted by the national oversight committee on illegal drugs on the revival of Oplan Tokhang so that some mistakes on its implementation would be rectified.

Police mistakes

Among the mistakes Dela Rosa cited was the manner by which police rogues barged into homes of drug personalities and terrorized residents, as well as the practice of including names of innocent people in the community drug watch lists.

Oplan Tokhang entails visits to the houses of identified drug personalities to convince them to surrender and kick the habit by going into rehabilitation, while Double Barrel involves police operations for the arrest of persons involved in the narcotics trade.

During the press conference, Aquino said that five body cameras would be distributed to each of the PDEA’s 17 regional offices along with other recently procured equipment.

Among the PDEA’s newest acquisitions are 20 drones and 166 handheld radios worth P10 million; 753 tactical helmets and 23 reloading machines worth some P25 million; as well as 100 laptop computers and 470 printers worth a total of P11.2 million.