MANILA, Philippines — The government's "war on drugs" will shift attention to the rehabilitation and reintegration of drug dependents and users, Police Gen. Dionardo Carlos, Philippine National Police chief, said Monday.
Speaking at the PNP flag-raising ceremony, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also said that the country's drug problem requires a "holistic approach" that includes treatment and support for drug dependents.
The chief of the Philippine National Police announced changes in strategy in the latest iteration of the Duterte administration's flagship war on drugs including a "multi-faceted reinforcement and education-based strategy" to end the Duterte administration.
Carlos made comments at a launchg of the "upgraded version" of the national police's strategy in combating illegal drugs.
Dubbed 'ADORE' or the Anti-Illegal Drugs Operation through Reinforcement & Education, the latest shift in the anti-illegal narcotics campaign comes in collaboration with the DOH, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the policy-making Dangerous Drugs Board.
"We would like to have the endgame strategy for this administration by completing the 'Double Barrel' that we started in 2016. This is a commitment of the Philippine National Police that through reinforcement, rehabilitation, recovery and wellness and reintegration of the more than 1.2 million that surrendered," Carlos said.
"We will go back to the streets now that we enter the new normal and the environment allows us to reach out again to the victims of these illegal drugs. We will continue that by reducing the supply as our law enforcement functions together with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency."
Carlos earlier promised a "Campaign Plan Double-Barrel Finale Version 2022" as Duterte's term as chief executive winds down. When he was appointed PNP chief, he said that the final leg of the drug war would focus "more on reaching out to the victims or the addicts to recover."
Duque: Health promorion, treatment
Duque, who was the ceremony's guest of honor and keynote speaker, said that the DOH's vision was to address the drug problem through health promotion activities against substance use and abuse.
"The DOH believes that substance use and abuse is a chronic but treatable medical condition. Treating this condition requires a holistic approach through whole of government, whole of society, whole of system approach. There is a need to ensure that individuals suffering from this condition receive sufficient support from the national down to the community level," Duque said.
Duque in his message also announced the newly launched Substance Abuse Helpline 1-5-5-0 to give access to information and timely assistance for substance use and abuse-related problems, and that many will be empowered to make healthier choices.
"The department hopes that through the launch of 'Oplan Double Barrel Finale 2022-Anti-illegal Drug Operations through Reinforcement and Education', Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils would be strengthened to help eradicate drug dependency of PWUDs and help them recover from this condition," Duque added.
In a statement sent to reporters later Monday, the PNP said that ADORE is "anchored on a holistic approach highlighted by reinforcement and education-based strategy."
"The ADORE’s 8Es are Engineering the Structure, Education, Extraction of Information, Enforcement, Enactment of Laws, Environment, Economics, Evaluation [as its] implementation track of the infinity loop of the double-barrel to eradicate proliferation of illegal drugs in the community," the PNP said.
The PNP also highlighted its support of the PDEA and local government units and in close coordination with other law enforcement agencies, national government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders.
What is Oplan Double Barrel?
The operation plan, which remains the template for many anti-drug operations by the PNP, has been suspended and relaunched numerous times under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration.
According to the first memorandum circular mentioning it, the first "barrel" of the campaign is Project Tokhang, which "involves the conduct of house to house visitations to persuade suspected illegal drug personalities to stop their illegal drug activities."
Tokhang has since become its own operation plan in Oplan Tokhang, a play on the Cebuano words “knock” and “plead." Rights advocates and families of victims point to Tokhang-style visits as the precursors to extra-judicial killings.
Official police data acknowledge over 6,100 deaths in official anti-drug operations. But rights groups both here and abroad say that the true death toll may be as high as 30,000.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has found that crystal methamphetamines or shabu are still behind the most arrest and treatment admissions in the Philippines.
This finding from the international body runs counter to the consistent narrative of administration officials that the anti-narcotics campaign has made significant strides in peace and order.