FOURTEEN drug suspects were killed from March 6 to 12 under its revived anti-illegal drugs campaign “Double Barrel Reloaded,” the Philippine National Police said Sunday.
Police also arrested 467 suspects during the same period in the new “Tokhang” program that now requires barangay officials to accompany the police as they knock on doors of homes of drug suspects to convince them to reform.
Since March 6, police have visited 5,164 houses, the report said.
One pusher and 18 users have also surrendered, it said.
Under the previous Oplan Double Barrel, more than 2,000 drug suspects were killed in police operations from July 2016 to February 2017.
The program was suspended after anti-drug police officers were accused of kidnapping and killing a South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo in October 2016.
On Sunday, PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa said he will convince lawmakers Tuesday that Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded would be bloodless when he testifies before the House committee on public order and safety.
Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, the committee chairman, said Dela Rosa has confirmed his attendance to the panel where he is scheduled to brief them about the resumption of the administration’s nationwide anti-drug campaign.
“The committee will hold a meeting this Tuesday on the Oplan Double Barrel, Reloaded. General Dela Rosa will face us to brief and explain the nation-wide anti-drug campaign of the President,” he said.
Acop is a former police comptroller.
Acop said Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal sought Dela Rosa’s presence in the hearing and even demanded the panel issue a subpoena to compel his presence should he ignore the Tuesday schedule.
“Congressman Oaminal wants a subpoena if General Dela Rosa will not come. But he has already confirmed his attendance to me over the phone,” he said.
The Antipolo City lawmaker said he would want to know from Dela Rosa if “Oplan Double Barrel, Reloaded” was overhauled to eliminate the involvement of scalawag policemen.
“We want to know directly from the general if the Oplan Double Barrel, Reloaded will really help rid the national police of scalawags who extort money from their victims during operations and if this would be a bloodless campaign,” he said.
Dela Rosa said the new anti-drug campaign has two parts—a revitalized Project HVT, the campaign to go after “high-value targets” or “big-time drug personalities and groups,” and a reformed Oplan Tokhang, the controversial drive in which policemen knocked on doors of houses of suspected drug users and pushers.