Capas, Tarlac – A prelude to bloodbath? It is as if the battle ground is being prepared.
This came on the first day in office of President Rodrigo Duterte as PSupt Jesus Rebua and PNP provincial officers, together with barangay officials, here visited suspected drug pushers and users in their houses and warned them of Duterte’s “unorthodox” policy against illegal drugs.
Nine houses in Barangay Dolores and 6 in Barangay Talaga were visited with the Rebua-led launching of Project Tokhang (a contraction of the visayan words Toktok and Hangyo, which means “knock-knock, this is an appeal”), which intends to personally tell suspected pushers of the police’s seriousness to totally eradicate the illegal drugs problem within the 3-6 months period set by Duterte.
In Barangay Talaga, Brgy Chairman Henry Duenas led the police at the houses of Renato Nogoy, Martin Quitaleg, Dan Lord Nogoy, Sps. Nardo Clarin and Rosario Fajilan, Gloriano Ronaldo, Jessie Salas, Joselito Nogoy, brothers Ricardo and Joy Corpus and Lester Bagabay.
While in Barangay Talaga, those visited and warned were father and son Ferdinand and Mark Joseph Guevarra, Michael Mata, Lino Tullao, Jaime Valencia, Art Balagtas, and Reggie Lapuz which were personally pinpointed by Brgy Chairwoman Aurora Bumanglag.
In all the drug personalities visited, Duenas and Bumanglag personally appealed to their barangay mates to stop using and selling drugs after which the police officers with Rebua took turns in giving stern warning once they (pushers and addicts) do not heed the appeal for them to reform.
“We are doing this (visiting suspected pushers), first to let them (pushers) know that we know of their illegal activities, second, to give them chance to reform and third, to give them ultimatum that we will do all means to end their involvement in drugs within the next few months”, Rebua said.
Rebua was joined by Tarlac police Deputy Provincial Director for Administration (DPDA) PSupt Emmanuel Nunag, PSupt Franklin Estoro and PSupt Amelia Garcia (DPDPCRB).
“We are dead-set to accomplish the president’s policy to totally eliminate illegal drugs here in our town within the next 3 to 6 months. Project Tokhang will continue within the few weeks until all the houses of suspected pushers are visited in all the 20 barangays, and, simultaneously, we are launching total war against those who do not heed our warning ”, also said Rebua.
Rebua, however, qualified that their “renewed efforts against the drug menace” is not the sole responsibility of the police, rather it is the responsibility of the people and the community.
“Ang pagsugpo sa droga ay hindi responsibilidad lamang ng kapulisan kundi responsibilidad ito ng buong komunidad. Dahil ang magtatamasa sa katahimikan at katiwasayan kapag nasugpo ang droga ay hindi ang mga pulis lamang kundi ang mismong mga mamamayan at ang bayan”, declared Rebua whose police station has been known as the only police station in the country who was able to apprehend all the listed top 10 most wanted persons last year.
With the launching of project Tokhang, Rebua sternly warned those involved in drugs to “shape-up or be shipped out”.
“Sa mga addict at pusher, magbago na kayo, dahil ang direktiba sa amin ay ipatupad ang pamamaraan ni presidente (Duterte) sa Davao City. Doon nawala ang problema sa droga dahil nawala ang mga pusher. Kaya naming gawin dito sa Capas ang ginawa sa Davao (city) dahil may suporta kami sa mismong presidente”, Rebua said.
It was gathered that newly designated PNP regional director PCSupt Aaron Aquino issued the memorandum on Project Tokhang last Thursday afternoon just after Duterte took his oat as president./Nelson Bolos FB: Tarlac News Center