(Eagle News)– Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa on Tuesday (September 27) assured celebrities who are in the government’s drug list that they will not be immediately put behind bars.
“Kung mag-surrender sila, e ito naman usapang lalaki, kahit na identified sila na user, kung mag-surrender sila, para sa akin, they don’t deserve to be jailed. Kung mag-surrender sila, bigyan natin ng tsansang magbago yung tao,” Dela Rosa assured.
“Kahit na pusher pa nga, basta mag-surrender at umamin at gusto nang magbagong buhay, pagbibigyan natin,” he added.
The PNP Chief however clarified that celebrities who will surrender will still undergo due process.
“Ipa-process natin sila, iyong normal process na ginagawa natin sa street pushers or users ng drugs para pantay-pantay tayo. Hindi porke artista kayo exempted na kayo sa procedures na ginagawa natin sa ating Oplan Tokhang,” Dela Rosa stressed.
Dela Rosa also announced the use of modified ‘Tokhang’ called ‘Oplan Taphang’ to be used first on celebrities.
“Halimbawa sa isang network meron silang pito o sampu sa listahan gagawin natin doon. That is modified Tokhang, yung isang modification diyan ang tawag namin sa Davao ay Taphang, tapok hangyo, gather and plead. Meaning i-gather natin yung lahat ng TV personalities sa isang network, i-gather natin sa opisina nila then kausapin sila as a group,” he explained.
“We will talk to them collectively, hindi na individually. We will tell them na you are identified, please huminto na kayo at nakakahiya kayo sa taumbayan. Idol na idol kayo ng kabataaan tapos pala gumagamit kayo ng droga. So we will try to give them advice.”