Senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Vicente "Tito" Sotto III are not inclined to adopt President Duterte's controversial "Oplan Tokhang" to address the Philippines' problem with illegal drugs.
Lacson said Wednesday, July 28, that they wil not implement such a project should he and Sotto be elected into the country's highest elective posts in the 2022 national and local elections.
"Walang Tokhang (There will be no Tokhang)," Lacson said when asked during the virtual Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.
"Sinabi na ito ni Senate President (Sotto)...Kinapos 'yong current administration. In-admit na rin ito ni Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang SONA, na akala niya ganoon kasimple 'yon (This has already been said by the Senate President. The current administration fell short in its anti-illegal drug campaign. This was also admitted by President Duterte himself, in his State of the Nation Address, that he thought addressing it was simple)," he added.
Lacson, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, agreed that the Duterte administration focused "too much" on law enforcement, and "forgot" the prevention and rehabilitition parts of addressing the problem on illegal drug abuse.
While Sotto, a staunch anti-illegal drug advocate, was supportive of Duterte's war on drugs, he observed that the administration lacked in its drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation efforts.
Sotto has repeatedly said these should be prioritized to reduce the demand for prohibited and dangerous substances.
Oplan Tokhang, launched as a national program in 2016 under the leadership of then PNP chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, was first implemented in Duterte's bailiwick Davao City to reduce the drug problem.
Under the campaign, police officers and local officials were supposed to "knock" in the houses of drug suspects and "plead" for their surrender to authorities.
The program, however, was hounded by controversies, following reports of abuses by policemen and suspicious deaths of suspects, including the killings of teenagers.
Still, Lacson believed Duterte has enough time to catch up on his promises to rid the country of illegal drugs and corruption.
"Ina-admire ko rin siya for being candid and honest na sabihing nagkulang siya sa paglaban sa illegal na droga, sa paglaban sa korapsyon. Hindi ko lang gusto yong tonong parang may resignation eh, mayroon pang isang taon. Mahaba pa 'yong isang taon (I admire him for being candid and honest in admitting that he fell short in fighting illegal drugs and corruption. I just don't want him resigned to idea that he failed, when he still has one year left in his term. One year is a long period)," he said.
"I think he can still catch up and make amends kung ano man 'yong pagkukulang (whatever were his shortcomings). May isang taon pa eh (He still has one year)," he added.
Unlike Duterte, who vowed during his campaign to end to the illegal drug problem within three to six months, Lacson said he won't set a timetable for himself if he gets elected as president.
"It is always a continuing effort, I don't believe in deadlines. To me, if you decide to face it, you should sustain it. There should be no lull, or you would slacken," he said in English and Filipino.
"Wala kang timetable, dapat talaga (You shouldn't have a timetable for that)," he said.
Lacson and Sotto earlier confirmed that they will run for president and vice president in 2022, respectively.