No more tokhang nights
Believing that abuses are harder to perpetrate in broad daylight, some sectors are welcoming the announcement that the police anti-drug campaign dubbed Oplan Tokhang will no longer be carried out at night or during weekends.
Tokhang, its proponents claim, was never meant to be associated with the extermination of petty drug pushers. If the campaign followed the meaning of the Visayan word, those tasked to implement the campaign were supposed to merely knock on private homes and urge residents to have drug personalities in their midst face authorities for a chance to mend their ways.
Even without the deadly violence now indelibly associated with
tokhang and its cousin, Double Barrel, the concept is controversial enough. Human rights advocates have expressed concern that those who present themselves to authorities under tokhang turn themselves into targets for future execution.
The Philippine National Police leadership, however, has promised that the revived tokhang will be less bloody. As provided by law, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency is now taking the lead in the war on drugs, with the PNP and other law enforcement agencies providing support.
PNP officials have said cops involved in tokhang will be in proper uniform and may use body cameras and other video recording devices as they conduct the house-to-house campaign from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Individuals who present themselves to the police cannot be compelled to have mug shots and fingerprints taken, unless they are wanted or have pending criminal cases.
Public support for the war on drugs, which remained strong even with the escalation of drug-related killings, slipped after several teenagers were murdered by police, with video footage and witnesses pointing to summary executions. There were also documented cases of police barging into private homes and dragging away suspects, and innocent persons including children being shot, with no certainty that the cases were merely accidental.
This time, sanctions will be imposed on abusive “tokhangers,” the PNP chief has vowed. He will have to show that he is true to his word. Abusive cops will continue to abuse the powers of the state, whether in the dark or in the light of day, as long as they believe they can get away with it, and may even be rewarded with a promotion.