PNP chief Carlos: Anti-drug Double Barrel Finale to focus on strengthening BADAC

Newly appointed Philippine National Police chief Police Lieutenant General Dionardo Carlos on Monday said the PNP's anti-illegal drug campaign dubbed "Double Barrel Finale Version 2022" will focus on strengthening the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC).

“Ang focus naman po ng ating huling version ay ‘yung ating barangay development program kung saan ‘yung ang ating BADACs o Barangay Anti-Abuse Council ay pinalalakas with the presence of police sa barangay na sila ‘yung nagiging partner in the supervision of the force multiplier, ‘yung ating mga kasama sa iba’t ibang komunidad,” Carlos said during a press briefing after his first flag ceremony as PNP chief at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

(The focus of this final version is the barangay development program which will strengthen the BADACs with the presence of the police in the barangays. They will act as partners in the supervision of the force multiplier and our fellows in various communities.)

Carlos said the Double Barrel Finale Version 2022 aims to bolster the government's anti-drug campaign along with continuous coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).

The new PNP chief on Friday vowed to bolster heightened police operations against criminality as well as illegal drugs.

In July 2016, during Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s term as PNP chief, the “Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign Plan: Double Barrel” paved the way for the “Project Tokhang” and the “Project High-Value Target.”

The “Project Double Barrel Alpha” was then launched in October 2016 which aimed for the arrest of high-value targets who are involved in drug operations.

In a radio interview on Monday, Carlos further explained this final version saying that they will help drug addicts recover through wellness and recovery programs.

Asked if the Oplan Tokhang will still be pursued despite the “stigma” considering that the Duterte administration is currently facing investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) due to its war on drugs, Carlos said:

“Hindi na ho siguro natin makikita 'yung ganu'ng aktibidades. Ito ho ay more on reaching out to the victims o ‘yung adik na po na makapagbago. Malakas po 'yung ating presensya sa mga barangays through the BADACs at 'yung mga pulis na nandiyan sa barangays. ‘Yung ating tasked unit 'yung PDEG at iba pang mga DEUs sila po 'yung gagawa ng intelligence based operations against the illegal drugs,” he said.

(We might no longer see such activities. This is more on reaching out to the victims or the addicts to recover. We have a strong presence in the barangays through the BADACs and the police will be there. Our tasked units, PDEG and other DEUs, will be the ones to do the intelligence based on the operations against illegal drugs.)

Government critics claim the number of deaths during anti-drug operations have reached 20,000 but police said there were only at least 6,000. Police have said the victims resisted arrest and fought back during these operations. Both international and local human rights groups have condemned the killings.

“Ang importante po dito sa sinasabi nating finale, papaano po tayo magtatapos para sa ating administration ng ating Pangulo pagdating po ng June 30 ay makita ho natin in totality ‘yung ating approach para dito sa laban natin sa ilegal na droga. Ito po 'yung ating Finale Version 2022,” Carlos added.

(The important thing in this finale is how we will end the campaign by the end of the Duterte administration so that on June 30, we get to see in totality our approach in our fight against illegal drugs. This is the Finale Version 2022.)

Carlos officially took over the leadership of the 222,000-strong PNP on November 12, replacing Police General Guillermo Eleazar who reached the mandatory retirement age of 56. —KG, GMA News