DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The women party list opposed the proposal of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to bring “Toktok-Hangyo” meaning “knock and plead (make a polite request to surrender or stop using drugs),” or TOKHANG to schools.
Arlene Brosas representative of Grabriela party list said it is ridiculous and unhinged to subject children, innocent children, to mandatory drug testing; it would open the gates of harassment and tokhang to elementary students.
“One case of a rescued minor is not enough justification to put thousands others to harassment and possible threats. Parents, especially mothers, will not allow blood drenching in their children’s school,” said GWP Rep. Arlene Brosas.
The resumption of the anti-drug campaign of the Duterte government already killed dozens of children said the GWP, “Kian Delos Santos is more than enough of a collateral damage and PDEA should hunt those hiding under the Presidents cloak.”
“Have we not learned from the case of Kian and PDEA is still running after innocent children? Children are optimistic of building a bright future by going to school and studying. Are we really going to destroy this optimism and replace it with fear?,” asked Brosas.
“Or is it just so easy to target innocent children to such harassment and brutality rather than go after big fish like self-confessed drug dealer Peter Lim and Kerwin Espinosa? Why is the government so fond of going after the innocent while coddling the big fish,” she added. (davaotoday.com)
