News Roundup 31 January 2024
Jan 31, 2024 • 4 min Read
Lascañas: Sara Duterte initiated Oplan Tokhang as Davao mayor | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte supposedly came up with the “trademark” of Oplan Tokhang in Davao City when she was mayor there and allegedly ordered then-police chief Ronald dela Rosa to implement the violent campaign, retired police officer Arturo “Arthur: Lascañas said in a media forum on Wednesday.
“Hindi lang niya (Sara) alam ‘yung gingawa ng kanyang tatay na bogus drug war. Nag-imbento talaga siya ng bagong trademark na extrajudicial killings in the name of tokhang,” Lascañas told reporters in a press conference, according to a livestream by Pilipinas Today.
(She was not only aware of what her father did, the bogus drug war. She actually invented a new trademark of extrajudicial killings in the name of tokhang.)
Philstar.com has reached out to the Office of the Vice President for comment and will update this story with their response.
The self-confessed head hitman of the “Davao Death Squad” said that Dela Rosa told him that they crafted the Tokhang or “toktok hangyo” campaign against illegal drugs, which are derived from Bisaya words for knock (tok) and plead (hangyo).
“Sinabi sa akin ni Bato Dela Rosa na nagcraft sila ng panibagong EJK campaign against illegal drugs, which is toktok hangyo – meaning Tokhang,” Lascañas said.
Lascañas added that the Tokhang order came from the vice president who was then-Davao City mayor after she was repeatedly asked by media to comment on crimes committed by motorcycle-in-riding tandems.
“Kasi ayaw ni Inday Sara na palagi ini-interview ng media na tinatanong about itong motorcycle riding in tandem sa Davao. Ang daming namamatay at walang nag-i-imbestiga,” he added.
(Because Inday Sara doesn’t want to be interviewed by the media asking about this motorbike riding in tandem in Davao. Many are dying and no one is investigating).
“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.
(Here I confirmed from Sara and SP04 Sonny Buenaventura the order given to me by Bato Dela Rosa about the tokhang plan. If the Mayor (Sara) will agree to this. She confirmed it personally to me and to Sonny Buenaventura).
Lascañas said that Duterte specifically ordered to “kidnap” and hide the bodies of people.
Full Stories at: Lascañas: Sara Duterte initiated Oplan Tokhang as Davao mayor | Philstar.com
UN rapporteur, CHR discuss expression rights, impact on marginalized | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — United Nations (UN) special rapporteur Irene Khan met with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to deepen her understanding of laws concerning Filipinos’ right to expression and access to digital communications, the agency said Wednesday.
Khan, the UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, and the CHR officials discussed Tuesday how these affect various sectors, particularly the marginalized.
“The findings of the Special Rapporteur based on her meeting with the CHR will be part of her final report which will be presented during the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2025,” the commission said.
Over the weekend, Khan visited detained journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and human rights workers Alexander Philip Abinguna and Marielle Domequil at the Tacloban City Jail.
Full Story at: UN rapporteur, CHR discuss expression rights, impact on marginalized | Philstar.com
Lascañas says his testimony, evidence on drug war now with ICC | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Retired police officer Arturo Lascañas, a self-confessed member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), has already given his testimony before investigators from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC has been conducting investigations on the string of killings surrounding “Oplan Tokhang” or the government’s war on drugs.
“Nagconduct sila ng pre-trial investigation sa akin dito noong February 2022; six days pre-trial investigation,” Lascañas told reporters in a hastily called press briefing via Zoom. He did not disclose where the interview was conducted.
(They conducted a pre-trial investigation on me here in February 2022; six days for the pre-trial investigation.)
Lascañas has tagged former President Rodrigo Duterte as the one behind the DDS. He also identified several personalities behind the bloody anti-drug campaign of the previous administration.
Full Story at: Lascañas says his testimony, evidence on drug war now with ICC (inquirer.net)
Hontiveros dares both Marcos and Duterte to undergo drug test | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — In order to put an end to tirades from both camps, opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros encouraged on Wednesday both President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and former chief executive Rodrigo Duterte to undergo drug tests.
“Drug testing should always be suspicionless and voluntary. Para matapos na ang patutsadahan sa drug use ng dalawang lider ng bansa, I encourage them both to take the test,” said Hontiveros, answering a media query on the issue.
(In order to put an end to all these tirades, I encourage them both to take the test.)
Full Story at: Hontiveros dares both Marcos and Duterte to undergo drug test (inquirer.net)
