BUTUAN CITY — To ensure compliance with the government’s anti-drug campaign, police officers in Agusan del Norte conducted “revisitations” on over 8,000 houses that have been subjected to “tokhang” (knock and plead) last year.
A total of 8,140 house visits from March to September 21 yielded some 181 new “tokhang” surrenderers who have not been covered during the first visits last year, said Police Chief Inspector Danilo B. Palen, Deputy Operations Officer at the Agusan del Norte Provincial Police.
Palen said the figure represented the “tokhang” operations conducted by local police units in Cabadbaran City (1,649 visits), and the towns of Buenavista (1,159), Carmen (403), Jabonga (458), Kitcharao (351), Las Nieves (770), Magallanes (563), Nasipit (857), RTR (399), Santiago (543), and Tubay (988).
The police official explained that revisiting former “tokhang” surrenderees was necessary following a number of cases in which self-confessed drug peddlers were caught selling illegal drugs again.
In the second round of “tokhang” across the province, Palen said at least 54,607 new houses were visited where police officers conducted their anti-drug information and education campaign.
Palen said local police units in the entire province are currently engaged in a “massive information and education campaign” that include anti-illegal drug forums in the villages, schools, terminals and other places of convergence.
From March 1 to September 21, Palen said 63 drug-users have surrendered or appeared before the police stations in their respective areas, including 34 drug pushers. There were also 338 newly identified users, and three pushers.
Meanwhile. 20 search warrants were implemented during the period, including 62 buy-bust operations, and eight drug-related arrests.
Police also conducted at least 97 arrests that included six high value targets, six users and 31 pushers. (Noel Najarro/PNA)
