THE lack of support from concerned agencies for drug dependents, who voluntarily surrendered themselves following the police's anti-drug campaign Oplan Tokhang, has prompted the police in Northern Mindanao to embark a camp-based drug rehabilitation program.
The Philippine National Police (PNP)-Northern Mindanao police is set to launch the project dubbed as “Cadre Program: Life after Tokhang,” on Wednesday, November 16, at the police regional headquarters in Camp Vicente Alagar, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.
Cadre stands for Camp-based Drug Rehabilitation Program, a 90-day drug rehabilitation program to be facilitated by trained professionals and will cater to the identified drug dependents during the PNP's project Tokhang.
Chief Superintendent Noel Constantino, Northern Mindanao regional director, said around 78,000 drug dependents in the region have submitted to Oplan Tokhang, comprising 12 percent of the total number nationwide.
“We are not going to leave them just like that,” Constantino said in the sidelines of the launching of the Masa Masid or Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamamayang Ayaw sa Ilegal na Droga program of the Department of Interior and Local Government last November 8.
Constantino said the free rehabilitation project will be launched eventually in the provincial and city police offices across the region.
Constantino emphasized the importance of this project to the new anti-illegal drugs campaign strategy called Project Double Barrel Alpha.
“We have to give our all out support for this project for it to succeed,” Constantino said.
“It is not just our duty as mandated by the PNP, but also our moral responsibility to provide the support they most need to live a drug-free and productive lives,” Constantino added.
Northern Mindanao police spokesperson Superintendent Surki Sereñas said the initiative was introduced by CDO-Pathway to Recovery Foundation, Inc., concerned barangays and the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao as an active partner.
Sereñas said an orientation about the project dubbed as Recovery and Wellness Program for Tokhang Responders will be held today, November 12 at the police regional headquarters.
“After the orientation, those who decide to join the program will have to signify their willingness to be included in the first batch of the Cadre program,” Sereñas said.
Oplan Tokhang is a program that was first implemented in Davao City where the police knock on the doors of suspected drug traders and ask them to stop their illegal trade. It is part of the Oplan Double Barrel, an initiative of the new PNP chief, Director General Ronald dela Rosa.