By Gideon C. Corgue
ZAMBOANGA CITY – “We are overwhelmed by the huge number of drug users and pushers—at
least 38,255, who surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP).”
Thus disclosed Chief Supt.
Billy B. Beltran, PNP-9 regional director during the official launching of the
Kapihan sa Garden Orchid Hotel at the Lobby Bar.
Kapihan sa Garden Orchid
is a 1-hour weekly tri-media public affairs talk show on issues and public information
hosted by the Philippine Information Agency in partnership with the local press.
Beltran said Operation Tokhang or “Oplan
Tokhang,” a contraction of the Visayan
words “Toktok” (knock) and “Hangyo” (request) .has
stirred up a massive wave of drug pushers and users surrendering to authorities
nationwide.
Under the program which
was launched nationwide on July 1, the police, local government units and
barangay officials visit the houses of drug users and pushers, and convince
them to surrender for rehabilitation.
As
of July 31, Beltran said a total of 38,255 drug personalities in Zamboanga
Peninsula have surrendered to police and local authorities under the
intensified anti-illegal drugs campaign of the PNP.
Beltran said Zamboanga del
Sur has the highest number of drug users and pushers who surrendered to
authorities with 13,955 surrenderees; followed by Zamboanga del Norte with 10,000;
Zamboanga Sibugay - 8,700, and Zamboanga City - 5,600.
“With these huge number of
surrenderees, 15 died because they chose to fight it out with the police,” Beltran reported.
PRO9 is one of the leading
regions of the PNP with highest number of drug personalities who surrendered as
far as full implementation of Oplan Tokang is concerned.
Meanwhile, Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency (PDEA9) acting regional director Levi Ortiz said the Oplan
Tokhang, President Rodrigo Duterte’s blueprint for its war on drugs has a big
impact on drug personalities.
“With more than 38,000
drug personalities who surrendered to the authorities, it lightened up our
workload,” Ortiz said saying that some drug users, pushers and drug lords are
hiding for fear of being arrested or killed.
“The
supply and demand of illegal drugs in region 9 significantly reduced because the PDEA and PNP have tightened
security measures in the Zamboanga Peninsula to prevent the entry of illegal
drugs,” Ortiz concluded.