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No rest for ‘Oplan Tokhang’ in Puerto Princesa
By Celeste Anna R. Formoso

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Dec. 19 (PNA) -- The Yuletide Season and the New Year celebrations will not hinder the local police’s implementation in this highly urbanize city of planned operations under the national government’s anti-drug abuse program "Oplan Tokhang".

Inspector Pearl Manel Lamban-Marzo, spokesperson of the City Police Office (CPO), said in media interviews Monday that lawmen, under Oplan Tokhang, will continue doing house-to-house visits to urge drug users and pushers to voluntary surrender before they are made to bear the full force of the law.

“Oplan Tokhang will continue implementing through the Christmas and New Year celebrations,” Lamban-Marzo said, adding so far, they have already conducted the operation in nine large barangays or villages in Puerto Princesa out of 66.

“We will not stop until we have knocked on the houses of suspected illegal drug users and pushers to convince them to voluntary surrender to prevent any untoward incident,” she said.

As of current, Lamban-Marzo said the number of suspected illegal drug users, who have voluntary surrendered to the CPO has reached over 600 in this city.

The number of individuals, who were arrested, on the other hand, has now reached 77 with the inclusion of Barangay San Rafael Councilor Redentor Macula, 42, who was arrested Sunday night for possession of two sachets of suspected "shabu" or methamphetamine hydrochloride, other drug paraphernalia, a shotgun with live ammunition, and a .38 caliber bullet.

Lamban-Marzo said Macula’s arrest without any incident as a high value target (HVT) was due to a search warrant issued by Judge Angelo Arizala of the Palawan Regional Trial Court (RTC).

“Macula is the first public official on our high value target to be arrested since we started the implementation of Oplan Tokhang in Puerto Princesa,” Lamban-Marzo said.

Charges of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia will be filed against him as soon as investigation has been completed.

Oplan Tokhang is culled from the Cebuano words “Toktok-Hangyo,” which means knocking on doors to make appeals and to give warning against drug users and pushers. (PNA)

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