Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17) – The police chief of Metro Manila said Tuesday the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign Oplan Tokhang will be temporarily suspended to refocus efforts on containing the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.
“Wala na muna po yung Oplan Tokhang. We [are] momentarily silent on that. Kasi ang focus ay sa quarantine,” PMGen Debold Sinas said in a media briefing.
[Translation: Oplan Tokhang will not be active for the meantime. We are momentarily silent on that. Because our focus now is the quarantine.]
Oplan Tokhang is a play on the words “toktok,” or knock, and “hangyo,” or plead. Under the program, police authorities visit homes of suspected drug users and request them to refrain from the illegal activity.
Sinas said alleged pushers will not be able to access illegal drugs due to the strict home quarantine.
“Pagbigyan muna natin sila. Kung nasa loob ka, wala ka namang makuhang supply,” he said.
[Translation: Let’s give them a chance for now. Because if you are inside your house, you will not get any supply.]
“Kasi supposedly nasa bahay lang ang mga ‘yan. Ayaw namin dagdagan yung sama ng loob ng mga tao muna,” he added.
[Translation: Because they are just inside their homes supposedly. We don’t want to add any burden to the people for now.]
The program drew criticism from other government officials and rights groups for alleged extrajudicial killing of small-time users accused of violently resisting arrest.
