MANILA, Philippines – Around 500,000 individuals surrendered to authorities when former president Rodrigo Duterte launched his war on drugs upon assuming office, according to Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) Director Brigadier General Jean Fajardo.
Fajardo made the revelation during her guest appearance at Discuss Widus Kapihan, a forum attended by members of the Central Luzon Media Association Pampanga chapter. She noted that the scale of drug use in Pampanga alone was staggering when “Oplan Tokhang” was first implemented.
“Kami nga kapulisan nabigla sa dami ng mga gumagamit ng ilegal na droga sa Pampanga nang inilunsad ang ‘Oplan Tokhang’,” Fajardo said, emphasizing the unexpected number of surrenderees during the campaign.
Duterte’s aggressive anti-drug campaign, which began in 2016, faced both support and criticism, with human rights groups raising concerns over alleged extrajudicial killings. Despite this, law enforcement agencies continue their anti-drug efforts, focusing on intelligence-driven operations and rehabilitation programs.