Now infamous ‘Tokhang’ name should be abandoned – ex-PDEA chief

A former chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) on Tuesday suggested that the "Oplan Tokhang" name given to the government's anti-drugs drive should first be abandoned due to its now negative connotations.

"Kung ako, papalitan ko muna yung pangalan. Masama na dating eh. Na parang pag sinabing tokhang, patay eh," Dionisio Santiago said on a news television channel.

The original concept of Oplan Tokhang or the government's campaign against illegal drugs was not focused on killing, explained Santiago.

However, abuses along the way have made the name infamous.

"'Di ba sabi knock and talk. Knock and talk, kakatukin mo. Kaya lang in the process baka nagkaroon ng abuses. Yan naman ang hinahabol ni vice president. Kung inosente yung kwan minsan questionable yung mga encounter," he said.

According to Santiago, Vice President Leni Robredo was correct in accepting her appointment as the co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/714407/robredo-accepts-appointment-to-gov-t-anti-drug-body/story/ 

Though Robredo did not have experience in the anti-drug campaign, Santiago said what was important was she listened to the experts' advice as the drug problem was complicated.

"Sabi nga, complicated. May legal problem yan, may enforcement problem, meron social compotent, may financial economic component. Kailangan medyo holistic," Santiago said.

"Fortunately yung Dangerous Drugs Board pati yung ICAD, pare-pareho yang andyan. Yung mga kailangan mong ahensya para tumulong sayo, and they know their respective jobs."

However, Santiago said that it was wrong of PDEA chief Aaron Aquino to dare Robredo into joining an operation.

"Palagay ko hindi tama. Kaya naman ang naging reaction negative eh. Kasama mo unang una, you endanger the life of the Vice-President. Wag mo dapat icha-challenge ng ganoon. Sasaluhin yan eh. Pag challenge mo yan, kakagat eh," Santiago said.

"Wag mo ilagay sa alanganin yung isang tao," he emphasized.

According to Santiago, an individual did not need to be present in an operation to find out "if there's something wrong in the operation." — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News