DUMANJUG Mayor Gungun Gica has given residents involved in illegal drugs and other crimes until 12 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, to voluntarily surrender and register with their barangay captains.
In a meeting with all 37 barangay captains and the Dumanjug Police Station on Thursday, Aug. 14, Gica urged former and current drug pushers, methamphetamine (shabu) users, and those involved in theft, robbery, illegal firearms or violence to come forward.
Gica said the goal of the initiative is to monitor individuals early on, help them break free from harmful behavior and start working toward a better future for themselves and their families.
“Timan-i ninyo nga kamong mga mang gamitay diha mag mosugod ang inyong pagkabuang, mangawat namo, manghilabot namo, mang-rape (simbako), o mobuhat ug krimen,” Gica said.
(Remember, for those of you who use drugs, that is where your madness begins. You will start stealing from us, harassing us, committing rape [God forbid], or engaging in criminal activities.)
The video of Gica speaking in the meeting was posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.
SunStar Cebu reached out to the Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas and Dumangjug Police Station through Messenger on the legality of the initiative but had not received a response as of press time.
The mayor’s move has echoes of Oplan Tokhang. In 2016, the administration of then President Rodrigo Duterte launched Oplan Tokhang, which was part of the police’s campaign against illegal drugs. The initiative was characterized by police personnel knocking on the doors of alleged drug users or pushers and inviting them to surrender voluntarily.
Oplan Tokhang was controversial after it became associated with widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, violations of due process and targeting of suspected drug users and dealers without adequate evidence.
No arrests
According to Gica, individuals who voluntarily come forward will not be arrested but will be given a chance to start over through weekly random drug testing monitored by the police and barangay officials.
A week after the deadline, Gica said, individuals from each barangay will be summoned, accompanied by their barangay captain, parents and family members, for a proper dialogue.
He warned that those who ignore the deadline will no longer be granted any leeway and could face immediate legal consequences. He did not elaborate on this
Gica said he initiated the same program in 2015, during which a total of 186 individuals were reportedly apprehended within six months.
Gica said he is entrusting the police to ensure that arrests are legal and based on verified violations of the law.
He also urged the Dumanjug police not to focus solely on becoming the top-performing station through arrests, but to aim for a community free of drug dealers and users, as well as robbery, killings and other crimes. / DPC