Mayor Olaso calls for review of "Oplan Tokhang" records to monitor drug situation

 By: Sumer Ong

File photo. Mayor Khymer Olaso (R) with Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown flash sign during the former's visit at the City Hall, Zamboanga City. (RP)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Mayor Khymer Olaso has requested the local police to submit a comprehensive list of individuals registered under "Oplan Tokhang," the controversial anti-drug campaign initiated by former President Rodrigo Duterte. This initiative aims to assess the current status of those previously targeted in the campaign and determine its effectiveness. "We will review the list of individuals registered in Oplan Tokhang during President Duterte's administration, but this time, our approach will be different," Olaso stated. "Every human being deserves to live, and only God or Allah has the authority to take a life," added the mayor. Olaso emphasized the importance of monitoring the current status of these individuals to understand whether the anti-drug campaign had any lasting impact. "As city mayor, I want to know the current status of that roster from the police records. We will conduct interviews and check on their situations to see if there have been any changes," he added. Olaso also mentioned plans to engage with barangay officials to discuss the matter further. "We will call the barangay chairmen for a meeting to address this serious issue. Last week, we confiscated a significant amount of illegal drugs in Zamboanga, and while my goal is to achieve a zero-drug environment, I recognize the challenges we face, especially with high-profile families involved," Olaso said. The mayor reiterated his commitment to tackling the drug problem in the city, stating: "our direction is clear, we are aiming for zero tolerance, but I understand the complexities involved in achieving this goal."