OPERATION TOKHANG AND PERCEPTION OF CRIMINOLOGY STUDENTS OF

HOLY CHILD COLLEGES OF BUTUAN

An Action Research

Presented to the Faculty of College of Criminology

Holy Child Colleges of Butuan

Butuan City, Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Science in Criminology

Jesson I. Dongiapon

September, 2020
 Chapter 1

Introduction

We will not stop until the last drug lord… and the last pusher has surrendered or

are put either behind bars or below the ground.” –President Rodrigo Roa, Duterte

(SONA 2016)

In order to stem the high rates of the drug-related issue in the Philippines,

elected president Rodrigo Roa Duterte, initiated a program to destroy illegal drugs and

the individuals related to it. The “war on drugs” he asserted has been followed by the

killing of thousands of people by police who claim to be acting in self-defense and

unidentified gunmen. The “war on drugs” caused a lot of deaths of drug users, which

done by the policemen.

For more than decades, illegal drugs are one of the major problems of countries

all over the world. The current situation on war against drugs in the world is very horrible

that has an effect in the society and economy of the country. Philippines is one of the

countries which is affected by illegal drugs. An estimated 100 million Filipinos are living

in the country. In 2016 during the reign of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, about 200

drug personalities were killed due to drug related cases, rather than spending a lot of

money and putting persons into prison who are innocent and sometimes being killed.

The government should make an effective treatment or program to the users of illegal

drugs (Sean and Martin, 2013).

 The word tokhang, is a made-up portmanteau of the local words fro knock (tok)

and plead (hangyo) and describes police operations that were launched by the Duterte

administration in July of 2016 that involved officers going door to door to root out drug-

related offenders. The phrase has become synonymous with the Duterte

administration’s notoriously brutal war on drugs with the word tokhang directly

associated with the killings related to the policy. The controversial policy has been

suspended twice in its history-both in 2017, Officially, the Philippine National Police

admit that 6,500 people have been killed by officers in operations related to the drug

war since the launch of the policy. Right groups, however, argue that the scale of the

killings may be much larger. Human Rights Watch, for example points out that the exact

number of fatalities may be impossible to determine since the government has failed to

disclose documentation about its drug war. The group, however, estimates that the

death toll could be as high as 23,983 – a figure that takes into account the “homicides

under investigation.” These killings, unsurprisingly, have drawn international attention

to the tactics used by the Duterte administration. In July of this year, the United Nations

Human Right Council adopted a resolution to prepare a report on the situation in the

Philippines, particularly related to the war on drugs. Scrutiny from the International

Criminal Court of the drug war earlier this year led to a withdrawal of the Philippines

from that body by the Duterte administration.

These killings have been widely argued and contradicted by Human rights

advocators.(HRW, n.d.) because it violate the right of the people and generally, it is

illegal. However, statistics show that there is a high level of satisfaction on the
president’s performance even with the order he made. The SWS statistics shows that

people remain positive on how the government does the job in destroying illegal drugs.

Hence, this study mainly to determine the perception of the Criminology Students

of Holy Child Colleges of Butuan regarding on the said operation implemented by the

Government.

Review Related Literatures

The researchers collected various materials that are related to this study which

concerns about drug-related killings or what we called the Operation Tokhang in the

Philippines.

Philippines’Situation on Illegal Drugs

The Philippines is one of the intersections of drug trafficking in Asia-Pacific

Region. Geographically, it is in the “strategic location for the transit” of drugs in the

market. The Philippine is well known as a producer, consumer, and an exporter of illicit

drugs. Law enforcement agencies consider drug trafficking to be a national security

threat because it contributes to the increasing level of crime in the country

(Phalma,2013).

The Philippines is an archipelagic state located in Southeast Asia.

(Demographic). With the lengthy coastlines and border, the country’s geographic

feature poses a challenge for security, police motoring, and customs control.

Mirasol(2017) revealed that the country is being used as a hideout for international drug

syndicates, money loundering haven, and recreation place. The Philippines was
revealed to be a major transshipment point and destination country for

methamphetamine or locally known as-shabu (Mirasol,2017).

The Philippines, had a 3 million guesstimate of drug users is being asserted by

the current administration. This figure is far higher from the 1.8 million drug users

estimated by the 2015 survey of the Dangerous Drug Board under the previous

administration of Former President Benigno Simeon Aquino. The large number

reinforces the reported claims that Asia is known as a major platform for drug

production and trafficking (Tanguay et al, 2015).

In response to the alarming drug problem, President Rodrigo Duterte of the

Philippines launched the Philippine War on Drugs immediately after he was inaugurated

as the 16th president of the Republic. The Philippines Drug War distinctly involves to

barrels, hence why it is so called the Project Double Barrel. The project double barrel

refers to two strategies employed in countering the drug problem. The upper barrel is

described to target those who are in higher offices such as the politicians, military

officers, judges, and those who occupy public office. The lower barrel targets street-

personalities and known to be the Project Tokhang which made up of two terms =toktok’

(meaning knock) and =hangyo’(meaning plead).

Drug-Related Killings in the “Oplan Tokhang”

Philippine National Police (PNP) issuance of the Anti-illegal Drug Campaign Plan

Project: “Double Barrel” was on 1 July, the day Duterte assumed the presidency. The

lists of drug dealers and users, pubic officials, private individuals, based on information

obtained from investigations and intelligence reports, have been used in legitimate
police operations. The names of high-profile personalities – the elected officials, court

judges and police generals – allegedly involved in the trade of illegal drugs have been

made public (Rappler 2016; CNN Philippines 2016).

The drug campaign is under the helm of the Philippine Drug Enforcement

Agency, in coordination with the support of the Philippine National Police Drug

Enforcement Group (PNP, 2017). Under the leadership of Director General Isidro S.

Lapeña, PDEA aimed at bringing the anti-drug campaign down to the grassroots level

(PDEA,2017).

The campaign involves both high-impact operations and targeting of high-value

targets. The Project Tokhang of the Philippine National Police on the other hand,

primarily focuses on street-level drug personalities. Reportedly, the conduct of high-

impact operations and the arrest of high-value targets has created a disruption on the

supply chain of illegal drugs (PDEA, 2017). High-impact operations involve (1)

dismantling of clandestine laboratories and chemical warehouse, (2) dismantling of drug

dens and tiangge (small stores), (3) seizures of high-volume of drugs (PDEA, 2017).

From the 1st of July, 2016 to the 1st of January 2018, there are a number of considerably

huge accomplishments recorded that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the

Philippine National Police have reported. 183 dens and clandestine laboratories were

dismantled (PNP, 2018) and a 19.34 Billion pesos’ worth of drugs, laboratory equipment

controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPEC’s) were seized, Geopolitically,

3385 barangays were drug-cleared (PDEA,2017). High Value Targets, on the other

hand, refer to the drug personalities, leaders and members of drug groups, and other

drug-involved personalities with government connections and political positions,

including celebrities, members of international drug syndicates, member of armed

groups and other famous personalities (PDEA,2017). Combined efforts to clean the

streets from illicit drugs, the PDEA and the PNP increased its efforts. PNP (2018)

reported that from the 1st of July, 2016 to the 1 st of January 2018, there are 81,919 Anti-

drug operations conducted, 119,361 drug personalities arrested, 3,978 personalities

who died in the operations. Furthermore, 446 government workers were arrested in

which 213 are government employees, 189 are elected officials, and 44 are uniformed

personnel (PNP, 2018).

Also, several policies were put in place in the effort of improving the strategic

implementation of the Drug policies. The first one is the Dangerous Drug Board

Regulation No. 1, series of 2016 which provides incentives to law enforcers with

exceptional accomplishments related to the anti-drug campaign. The second is the

Dangerous Drug Board Regulation No. 2, series of 2016, which provides a

reclassification of drug-affected barangays for clearer monitoring, policy formulation,

and response from respective local government units. Another is the Dangerous Drug

Board Regulation No. 3, series of 2016 which mandates the coordination of local

government units to national government agencies and non-governmental

organizations, to provide livelihood programs and trainings for surrenderers’ to aid their

reintegration to the community as productive drug-free citizens (DDB, 2016).

Response by Government

Drug Rehabilitation Center. The Rehabilitation and Recovery Program of

Tacloban was designed with a three-phase modular approach: Self-Knowledge and

Personality Development, Family Healing and Reconciliation, and Community

Integration (Mazo, 2017). Hechanova (2018), the head of the Psychological Association

of the Philippines (PAP) Task Force on Drug Recovery, argued that around 90% of the

reported drug users are considered to be –low-or-mild-risk|| users that are not in need

of rehabilitation (Mazo, 2017). Hechanova (2018) further argued that most of drug users

succumbed to drugs due to pressure of temptations, work and environment. The

Philippine Association of the Philippines revealed that 90% of drug users have dwelling

in communities of violence while 60% suffered from emotional neglect or abuse

growing up (Mazo, 2017, p. 185).

Other alternative programs aimed at providing rehabilitation were described to

be superficial’ and unsupported by evidence-based interventions (Mazo, 2017). Among

these Anti-drug efforts organized locally were Zumba, Alternative Learning Education,

and Livelihood programs. The Valenzuela City, for example has provided community-

based and center-based rehabilitation, and reintegration programs, food subsidies, and

livelihood support that was described to facilitate transformation (Mazo, 2017).

Statement of the problem

This study aims to find out the perception of Criminology students of Holy Child

Colleges of Butuan on the Operation tokhang in the country.

Specifically, this study aims to find answers to the following questions:

 1. What is the impact of Operation Tokhang to the professional course of

Criminology students?

2. What are the perception of the Criminology students about the operation

tokhang and the rehabilitation of drug users?

3. What expectations do Criminology students have regarding the role of

agencies in addressing the drug related killings?

Significance of the Study

This study could be beneficial to the readers, criminology students, community,

and future researchers.

The Readers. This study may help to determine the level of awareness of and

favorableness of the community member on the drug related killings.

The Criminology Students. This gives an overview of how the people in the

community perceive the drug-related killings in relation to the present program of the

government regarding illegal drugs.

The Community. This gives an overview of how the people in the community

perceive the drug-related killings in relation to the present program of the government

regarding illegal drugs.

 The Future Researchers. The result of the study will develop skills in conducting

research which can use in the future. Also gives them insights and more knowledge

about drug-related killings.

Scope and Delimitation.

This study focuses on the operation tokhang and perception of Criminology

students of Holy Child College of Butuan, Butuan City. This will be done through a

survey questionnaire to be answered by the Criminology students of Holy Child

Colleges of Butuan.
 CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study will be used a descriptive method of research. It is descriptive in the

sense that it provides essential information about how the operation tokhang will be

done. Also to be able to know the perception of the criminology students of Holy Child

Colleges of Butuan with regards to drug-related killing. This will be done by a survey

method that determine the perception and also awareness of the Criminology Students.

Research Locale

This study will be conducted at Holy Child Colleges of Butuan, Butuan City. It

takes 15 minutes from the city depends on the traffic. It can be reach through multicab,

motorbike, or tricycle for 15 minutes depending on the vehicle’s speed.

Research Respondents

The research participants of this study will be the Criminology students of Holy

Child Colleges of Butan..

Research Instruments

The researcher will use the questionnaire as an instrument in gathering the

needed data to determine the perception of criminology students on the drug-related

killings.
Research Procedure

The researcher will gather data from a random sampling method. Where the

researcher will randomly choose the respondents as long as the respondents are

criminology students.