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Former Police Officer Accuses VP Sara Of Orchestrating 'Oplan Tokhang' In Davao
Photo credit: VP Inday Sara Duterte
Former Davao Senior Police Officer Arturo "Arthur" Lascañas has accused Vice President Sara Duterte of masterminding the controversial anti-drug campaign, "Oplan Tokhang," during her tenure as the mayor of Davao City in 2012.
Lascañas, a purported member of the original Davao Death Squad (DDS), made these allegations following the conclusion of the pre-trial investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the Duterte administration's alleged crimes against humanity in the drug war.
Lascañas, speaking from an undisclosed overseas location, claimed to have submitted a comprehensive 186-page affidavit to the ICC, detailing extrajudicial killings orchestrated by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The affidavit also implicated Vice President Sara Duterte and Congressman Paolo Duterte in the alleged atrocities. Additionally, Lascañas submitted a notebook containing crucial information to the ICC as evidence.
According to Lascañas, Vice President Sara Duterte initiated "Oplan Tokhang" by appointing then-Chief of Police Bato Dela Rosa in 2012. He asserted that they crafted a new extrajudicial killing campaign against illegal drugs, targeting individuals involved in drug use and trade. Lascañas accused Sara Duterte of orchestrating kidnappings and ordering the disposal of targets, disguising the crimes as missing person cases.
Regarding the number of extrajudicial killing victims in Davao City, Lascañas estimated around 3,000 in the Laud Quarry alone, with a total of approximately 10,000 deaths when accounting for the entire city. He also accused former President Duterte of running a shabu laboratory in the Davao Region and amassing a collection of over 1,000 firearms, allegedly facilitated by religious leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
Lascañas pointed fingers at incumbent Senators Bato Dela Rosa and Bong Go, claiming they were the ones giving orders to the DDS. He alleged that Senator Bong Go obtained personal ID data, including detailed information on targets, from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Davao City.
In response, Senator Bato Dela Rosa dismissed Lascañas' allegations, stating, "Pabayaan mo lang yan. Mag-allege lang siya nang mag-allege. Basta malinis ang konsensya ko. Bahala siya sa buhay niya.”
Lascañas, a purported member of the original Davao Death Squad (DDS), made these allegations following the conclusion of the pre-trial investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the Duterte administration's alleged crimes against humanity in the drug war.
Lascañas, speaking from an undisclosed overseas location, claimed to have submitted a comprehensive 186-page affidavit to the ICC, detailing extrajudicial killings orchestrated by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The affidavit also implicated Vice President Sara Duterte and Congressman Paolo Duterte in the alleged atrocities. Additionally, Lascañas submitted a notebook containing crucial information to the ICC as evidence.
According to Lascañas, Vice President Sara Duterte initiated "Oplan Tokhang" by appointing then-Chief of Police Bato Dela Rosa in 2012. He asserted that they crafted a new extrajudicial killing campaign against illegal drugs, targeting individuals involved in drug use and trade. Lascañas accused Sara Duterte of orchestrating kidnappings and ordering the disposal of targets, disguising the crimes as missing person cases.
Regarding the number of extrajudicial killing victims in Davao City, Lascañas estimated around 3,000 in the Laud Quarry alone, with a total of approximately 10,000 deaths when accounting for the entire city. He also accused former President Duterte of running a shabu laboratory in the Davao Region and amassing a collection of over 1,000 firearms, allegedly facilitated by religious leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
Lascañas pointed fingers at incumbent Senators Bato Dela Rosa and Bong Go, claiming they were the ones giving orders to the DDS. He alleged that Senator Bong Go obtained personal ID data, including detailed information on targets, from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Davao City.
In response, Senator Bato Dela Rosa dismissed Lascañas' allegations, stating, "Pabayaan mo lang yan. Mag-allege lang siya nang mag-allege. Basta malinis ang konsensya ko. Bahala siya sa buhay niya.”
Feb 1, 2024
