The Police Regional Office 11 on Wednesday revealed that that “Tokhang for Ransom” was strictly speaking an extortion case.
The PRO issued this explanation in the wake of the controversy over the abduction and slaying of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo inside the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.
Reports described the incident as alleged “tokhang-for-ransom” scheme by corrupt cops.
But PRO 11 Spokesperson PCI Andrea dela Cerna told the reporters there was no such thing as a ‘tokhang for ransom’ to begin with, only a clear case of extortion.
“Oplan Tokhang is implemented with the intention to persuade the suspected drug users and pushers to change and not for the police to use it for their illegal activities,” dela Cerna said, adding that they would never tolerate such activities.
Dela Cerna believes that there are good police cops in the organizations and that they are doing their best to clean the scalawags in the PNP.
In PRO 11, dela Cerna assured that Tokhang for Ransom will not happen in Davao Region.
Be warned of Tokhang for Ransom
PRO 11 also warned the public not to fall prey to the new modus operandi of extortionists using the Philippine National Police’s (PNP’s) Oplan Tokhang.
The police offices nationwide, including PRO 11, were warned on several groups pretending to be members of the PNP calls their targets to landlines or mobile phones and say the victim will be subjected to Oplan Tokhang if they will not comply with the extortionist’s demand.
PRO 11 Spokesperson PCI Andrea dela Cerna reiterated that the PNP launched their Oplan Tokhang as part of its anti-illegal drugs campaign where they visit the house of suspected drugs suspects and encourage them to submit themselves to the authorities and turn their backs from their illegal activities.
“The public should be warned dito, marami pong tumatawag hindi lang po siguro mga pulis kundi ‘yung mga bad elements na nanakot,” dela Cerna told Edge Davao.
She said that the extortionists introduce themselves as members of the PNP and that they will conduct an in-depth investigation once they found out who the extortionists are.
Dela Cerna is urging the public to immediately report to the police if ever they will receive calls from syndicates posing as police officers so they can respond to it accordingly.
She said that it is not right that police officers would inform a person about a complaint against him or her through a phone call.
Dela Cerna explained that under the standard operating procedures of PNP, the person facing a complaint is being sent a formal letter that contains the name of the PNP units, the details of the complaint and purpose of the invitation.
“Kung may complaint ‘yung tao, dapat ini-invite siya formally either for mediation or confrontation at karapatan po niyang magdecline or hindi; hindi naman natin mapipilit ‘yun dahil imbitasyon lang ‘yun pero hindi normal practice ‘yung through phone call lang,” said Dela Cerna.
She added that they will not tolerate any police officers planning to conduct a similar scheme, adding that administrative and criminal charges await corrupt police officers who are caught extorting money using the Oplan: Tokhang program of the PNP.
dela Cerna also said possible victims of the scheme should report any such incident to their office at Camp Catitipan in Davao City.
