Police serenade, ‘court’ pushers to surrender
Say ‘yes’ to TokHang
DAVAO CITY (PNA) – If the menacing straight talk doesn’t work, maybe gentle persuasion would for drug suspects in some areas in Davao.
Armed with guitars and lyrics sheets, officers from the Kapalong Municipal Police Station have been doing the rounds of known lairs of about 200 known drug pushers in the town since last week, serenading them to give up as part of the Philippine National Police (PNP) ToktokHangyo (Knock and Appeal), or TokHang, operations.
Kapalong police called it “Oplan Mananita” as they serenaded drug personalities with songs like “Magbago Ka” by Freddie Aguilar, but whose lyrics were changed to amplify their appeal to the alleged user or pusher to give up.
In Davao City, the new Buhangin Police Station commander Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz dispatched her personnel to “court” drug pushers and users previously identified by barangay officials by giving them white roses.
Driz, who was the former spokesperson of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), noted that the white roses were their own way of persuading the drug offenders to surrender.
Oplan Tokhang originated in Davao City when PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa was the city’s chief of police. The Oplan Tokhang has gone nationwide for the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs.
The campaign has so far convinced than 17,000 persons involved in drugs to give up to police authorities in Davao region.
Police Regional Office 11 reported that from July 1 to 10, 22 have already been killed in shootouts with authorities, while 95 have been arrested in a total of 77 buy-bust operations.
PRO 11 spokesperson Chief Insp. Andrea dela Cerna disclosed that 8,370 individuals have yielded in Davao del Norte; 3,538 in Davao Oriental; 2,398 in Compostela Valley; 1,308 in Davao City; 1,144 in Davao del Sur; and 453 in Davao Occidental.
Of the total number of drug personalities killed during operations, 7 were killed in Davao City; 12 in Davao del Norte; and 3 in Davao Oriental.
Dela Cerna reported that most of those arrests were made in Davao City with 64; Davao del Sur with 12; Davao del Norte with seven; Davao Occidental with five; Compostela Valley with five; and Davao Oriental with two.