CBCP president urges police to follow ‘prescribed steps’ in Oplan Tokhang

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles urged the Philippine National Police to follow proper procedures in its revamped anti-drug operations.

Valles also appealed to police operatives to ensure that Tokhang activities this time around won't "waste any lives."

"We pray that the police follow the prescribed steps in implementing the law… steps that should be done in exercising their responsibility as policemen," Valles was quoted as saying in an article posted on the CBCP website.

"Let us inspire them to follow the necessary steps when they need to apprehend and as much as possible, we make sure that we do not waste any lives," he added.

The PNP relaunched its Oplan Tokhang on Monday with new supplemental guidelines to be followed.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said in an interview on Unang Balita on Monday that Tokhang teams are not allowed to conduct "knock and plead" campaign in every house in a barangay.

"Unang-una, nagkaroon tayo ng vetting process dito at sa isang team, minimum members niyan apat. At kailangan 'pag sila ay pumunta sa isang lugar, doon sa may bahay lang na kung saan merong identified or watch-listed na drug dependent doon sa bahay na 'yon," Albayalde said.

"'Yung pupuntahan lang natin ['yung] nagkaro'n ng validation at deliberation doon sa listahan at 'yun lamang ang pupuntahan nila. Hindi kagaya noon na lahat ng bahay ay kinatok natin," he added.

Albayalde, meanwhile, remained firm that there were no drug suspects killed in Oplan Tokhang, saying that this was only a public "misconception."

"Wala naman talagang namatay doon sa Oplan Tokhang natin. Remember 'yung Oplan Tokhang natin is kakatok at you plead doon sa tao para mag-surrender siya. There was a misconception lang. Nagamit 'yung word na 'yon doon sa mga pati namatay sa buy-bust operation," he said.

Under the eight-page supplemental operational guidelines, Tokhang teams are required to be in proper PNP uniform and must be led by a police commissioned officer.

It also said that "Tokhang" operations will only be conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

However, the use of body cameras and other gadgets during anti-illegal drug operations was only encouraged and not required.

The Duterte administration's bloody crackdown on illegal drugs has been highly-criticized by the CBCP and local and international human rights groups. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG, GMA News