DAVAO CITY – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa called on school children in Davao City to shun illegal drugs, saying, “never ever taste drug even for fun.”
He made the call during a talk with some 300 Grades 4 and 6 school children and school officials of the Teodoro Palma Gil Elementary School here on Wednesday afternoon.
Dela Rosa was invited by the school’s Supreme Student Government to speak in a symposium about illegal drugs. The school’s student government is headed by It’s president Jelilah Jimmy Lopoz.
During the symposium, students asked Dela Rosa about the PNP’s Oplan Tokhang aimed at getting rid of the drug menace in the country.
Speaking in Bisaya, Dela Rosa told the children “Oplan Tokhang is back in action”. He, however, assured the re-launch of Tokhang would be a less bloody anti-drug operation.
He said authorities would respect human rights and stricter in adhering to all procedures of accountability, transparency, and responsibility.
Dela Rosa thanked the school children and the academic community for holding the activity wishing that “would go a long way in empowering the government anti-drug campaign.”
The pupils’ activity is the first in the country. The PNP chief called on others “to follow and pursue the same activity.” The school principal Marieta Gaer said in an interview,
“It’s better for the pupils to be given first awareness about drugs and the bad effects, so they have idea about it.”
City education officials who attended the activity included Department of Education (DepEd) XI Asst. Regional Director Tess Tambagan, Central District Schools Division Supt. Ines Asuncion and others.
The symposium ended with the pupils and school officials pledging for the “Kontra Droga” commitment read by Dela Rosa. (Cha Monforte/PNA/Photo courtesy of Arjoy Ceniza)
