MANILA – Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio was behind “Oplan Tokhang” during her time as mayor of Davao City, according to retired police officer Arturo Lascañas.
In a media forum aired at Pilipinas Today on Wednesday, Lascañas claimed it was Duterte-Carpio who came up with Oplan Tokhang in Davao City, with then police officer Ronald dela Rosa, now a senator, spearheading it.
“Hindi lang niya (Sara) alam ‘yung ginagawa ng kanyang tatay na bogus drug war. Nag-imbento talaga siya ng bagong trademark na extrajudicial killings in the name of ‘tokhang’,” Lascañas said.
Duterte-Carpio denied last week yet that she was connected with alleged Davao vigilantes, saying that she does not “require a death squad for the things that I can do.”
“During the years that I served as vice mayor and mayor of Davao City, not once was my name discussed or linked to the alleged Davao Death Squad,” she stressed.
However, after she won as Vice President, Duterte-Carpio lamented that, “Suddenly there was a witness against me and now I am among the accused in the International Criminal Court.”
But according to Lascañas, “Sinabi sa akin ni Bato Dela Rosa na nag-craft sila (ni Duterte-Carpio) ng panibagong EJK campaign against illegal drugs, which is toktok hangyo.”
“Tokhang” is the portmanteau of toktok hangyo, Visayan words that mean “to knock” and “to ask”.
Lascañas added that “Oplan Tokhang” was conceptualized because Duterte-Carpio, who was then mayor, was repeatedly asked by the media to comment on crimes committed by motorcycle riding-in-tandems in Davao City.
“Kasi ayaw ni Inday Sara na palagi ini-interview ng media, na tinatanong about motorcycle riding-in-tandem sa Davao. Ang daming namamatay at walang nag-i-imbestiga,” he said.
“Dito na-confirm ko kay Sara at SP04 Sonny Buenaventura ‘yung order sa akin ni Bato Dela Rosa about Oplan Tokhang, kung papayag ba si Mayor (Sara) dito. Kinonfirm niya personal sa akin at kay Sonny Buenaventura,” Lascañas added.
Dela Rosa could not be reached for comment as of this writing.
Lascañas said Duterte-Carpio specifically ordered to “kidnap” and hide the bodies of alleged drug suspects so that they will be included in the “missing persons” list./PN
