Cops use hearse strategy in drug drive

A hearse leads a convoy of police vehicles and a fire truck, a strategy Tabuelan police are employing to scare suspected drug pushers and users into surrendering. (CONTRIBUTED PHJOTO)

Police in some towns in Cebu province are using hearses to get their message across in convincing suspected drug users and pushers to give up, stop their illegal activities and start a new life.

Senior Insp. Abell Laborte, Dalaguete police station chief, said that the strategy of using a funeral vehicle during the operation had been effective.

The Dalaguete police have been doing the rounds of warning suspected drug users and pushers in their “Oplan Tokhang” campaign using a hearse to lead the police vehicles in a convoy to the house of the person included in their watch list.

“We wanted to show to these people involved in the drugs where they will end up. They will die because of health reasons caused by drugs, an assassination by drug syndicates or killed if they fight back with the police,” Laborte said.

The police was not charged for the use of the funeral vehicle. The strategy of using the funeral vehicle started last week.

A video posted on the ‘Prcsection Dalaguete’ Facebook page showed the white funeral vehicle at the head of the cortège.

Laborte said their Oplan Tokhang campaign resulted in a positive feedback especially in Barangay Poblacion, where two drug personalities in their list had already left the town.

1,149 surrenderers

Aside from Barangay Poblacion, other drug bailiwicks in Dalaguete town in southern Cebu are Barangays Balud and Kawayan.

Laborte said since July, 1,149 people had surrendered in Dalaguete and 129 of these number were suspected drug pushers.

Laborte said that last July, there were three surrenderers who were killed in an operation after they clashed with the authorities.

During first week of August, two persons were killed by suspected vigilantes, said Laborte.

He promised to continue and even intensify the campaign in the town against suspected drug pushers and users.

Tabuelan operations

Like the police officers in Dalaguete town in southern Cebu, police officers in Tabuelan town in northwestern Cebu are also employing the same hearse strategy on their town’s suspected drug pushers and users.

Senior Insp. Rico Emperwa, Tabuelan police station chief, said the use of a funeral vehicle leading the police convoy during their “Oplan Tokhang” operations has persuaded more people to surrender and stop their drug-related activities.

“Even if others have stopped, we continue to monitor them,” said Emperwa, who also told CDN in a phone interview that they were serious in their campaign to eradicate drug activities in the town.

A photo which was posted on Tabuelan Police Station Facebook page showed a white funeral vehicle on the head of the police convoy.

Emperwa said that his personnel have tapped a neighboring funeral parlor and paid for the fuel used.

“This (funeral vehicle) showed where these people will end up if they do not stop their involvement in drugs,” the police chief said.

About 500 drug surrenderers were recorded in Tabuelan since July.

Affected areas identified by Tabuelan police are Barangays Poblacion, Tabunok and Tigbawan.