Oplan Tokhang to be replicated in countries with drug problems

October 29, 2017 Metro BLISTT

Countries struggling against illegal drugs have shown interest in copying the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, Oplan Tokhang.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Colombia, and USA, including New York City, are eyeing to create their own version of the program, according to Police Chief Inspector (PCI) Kimberly Esteban Molitas of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in an interview on October 24.
She said that she visited these countries to present the facts on President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.
“They have been looking at the Oplan Tokhang the factual way. How the suspect died during police operation, what the human rights say, and what’s coming out from the news,” Molitas said.
She said that she used the data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in her presentation. “They were surprised that we have at least 1.3 million drug surrenderees that, according to them, never happened in any countries with drug problem.”
When asked about the strategy of Oplan Tokhang to make 1.3 million people surrender, Molitas answered it’s the knock-and-plead scheme. The police literally knock on the door of the drug suspect and asked them to surrender voluntarily. “They even asked me to accompany them to do the knock-and-plead scheme,” Molitas reported.
“The Indonesian police is now preparing to implement their own version of the Oplan Tokhang,” Molitas added.
From July 1, 2016, there were 76, 863 anti-drug operations conducted; 113, 932 drug personalities were also arrested. A total of P18.84 billion worth of drugs, CPEs and laboratory equipment were also seized. DIONISIO DENNIS JR. / ABN