Cops use casket as tool

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Police Office has taken advantage of the occasion to educate the people of the government’s ongoing campaign against illegal drugs by conducting Oplan Taphang (Tapok Hangyo) in different cemeteries.

CPPO Police Community Relations chief Superintendent Richard Oliver said a simultaneous Taphang operations were conducted yesterday in different cemeteries as their way of informing others who are not yet aware of the intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

The police were bringing along casket as visual aid while conducting lecture inside the cemetery. Oliver explained that using casket as visual aid does not follow that they will also kill people involved in illegal drugs.

He said it was just a reminder to people that they will eventually die if they continue to use illegal drugs.

“Ang tumong diha nga mapasabot sa mga tawo nga kung dili mo moundang sa drugas basin sa sunod kalag-kalag kamo na ang dagkutan sa sementeryo,” said Oliver.

“Dili ni panghadlok ang gihimo nato pahibalo rani sa mga tawo para makasabot sila sa epekto sa drugas kung mogamit sila or mamaligya sila,” he added.

Using a megaphone, the police urged the public inside the cemeteries to stop using and selling illegal drugs. Some police stations were even more creative.

In Argao, a policeman was wearing costume playing victim of extrajudicial killing with cardboard marked with the words “ Pusher Ako Ayaw ko Sunda” displayed on his chest.

Members of the Medellin Police Station also gathered the people in the cemetery for the lecture on the effects of illegal drugs. The police brought with them a hearse and a coffin.

The activity, however, was met with resistance by a priest in Carmen town. Chief Inspector Christian Torres, town police chief, said they were not allowed by Fr. Jose Dosado Jr. to conduct operation Taphang inside the cemetery with a funeral car and a coffin.

The priest claimed that the police did not ask permission from him to hold the activity in the cemetery that he claimed to be private. Although the police said that it was a public cemetery, but they did not insist on conducting the activity to avoid conflict.

“Basin pro-life to siya, naay uban nga pari nakakita mikatawa raman pero pag-abot niya gibadlong nami niya kay private daw to nga lugar, pero public raman diay, ako na lang gikuha ang lungon kay maglikay na lang sa samok," Torres said.

The activity will continue today. (FREEMAN)