SENTIMENTS AND DILEMMAS AMONG DRUG USERS

SURRENDEREES CURRENT SITUATION IN CLARIN

A Research Proposal Presented to the

Faculty of the Institute of Criminal Justice Education
Tangub City Global College
Maloro, Tangub City

In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the degree
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE INDUSTRIAL SECURITY MANAGEMENT

Reymart G. Asilo
Francis Metillo

May 2024
 2

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Background of the Study

Illegal drugs are one of the major problems of countries all over the world. The

current situation on war against drugs in the world is very horrible that has an effect in the

society and economy of the country. Philippines is one of the countries which is affected

by illegal drugs. An estimated 100 million Filipinos are living in the country. A project of

the PNP, Oplan Tokhang, is a national law enforcement project that was launched over the

country. A Visayan word ‘TOKHANG” means to approach and talk. This was launched as

part of the campaign to warn drug traffickers and users to stop using drugs.In 2018, the

Filipino government re-launched its violent crackdown on drugs. Sao Yang Hew (2018)

discusses the unintended consequences of the infamous drug war on the people of the

Philippines. Earlier this year, Rodrigo Duterte, the President of the Philippines decided to

re-launch the anti-drug campaign known as “Oplan Tokhang”. The controversial anti-drug

campaign is maintained by Duterte as his top priority since his leadership two years ago

(Palatino, 2018) .

Through economic intuition, Duterte’s policies would decrease the supply of

methamphetamine and hence drive prices up. However, with the nature of addiction, people

are not likely to respond to a rise in the price of drugs as much as they would with any

other good. The price elasticity of demand for methamphetamine would be relatively

inelastic, in which the quantity demanded of the drug changes at a slower rate compared to

the change in price. This could result in an increase in total drug revenue for suppliers. This

could lead to the surviving suppliers to experience increased welfare and be more capable
 3

to commit and conceal more drug related offenses, mitigating Duterte’s efforts to eradicate

illegal drug trade. Most individuals who are executed in the streets during the crackdown

are breadwinners of their family, resulting in the difficulty of the remaining family

members, mainly poor women and children to financially support themselves (Aldamas,

2018). However, the people living within these neighborhoods have noted that the rich

offenders involved in the drug trade are treated quite differently.

According to an article written by Luke Lischin (2020), the local government in the

Philippines plays an important but infrequently discussed role in President Rodrigo

Duterte’s so-called war on drugs, also known as Oplan Tokhang. The regulations of the

Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, and the

Office of the President, the central government of the Philippines has converted local

government into the front line of the war on drugs. Under the campaign, police go from

house to house to convince drug suspects to surrender, tokhang.

Drug Prevention Campaign in the Philippines was designed to contribute in the

reduction on intake of illicit drugs among all sectors of society by raising the public's

awareness and participation. The program is designed to educate the public of the different

kinds of illegal drugs and issues associated with it. The campaign commonly uses primary

preventive communication through advertising, public relations and promotions, resource

development and online communication activities.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) agreed to hand over responsibility for dealing

with the illegal drug trade to the Philippine Drug Administration (PDEA). With this, and

with the help of Philippine National Police, Clarin City, this study was conceived to

determine the effectiveness of Oplan Tokhang against illegal drugs. The aim of this study
 4

was to address the lack of knowledge and as to the effectiveness of Oplan tokhang that was

implemented by the Duterte administration and its effectiveness to the surrenderess given

to the media and the public by law enforcement agencies during the Duterte

administration's Oplan Tokhang campaign.

Conceptual Framework

The study analyzed the sentiments of the bereaved families in Tinaclaan Clarin

caused by the stringent implementation of the Oplan Tokhang in the Philippines during the

Duterte administration. The concepts and insights taken from the different literature greatly

contributed to the formulation of the conceptual framework of the study. A conceptual

framework is a diagrammatic representation of the theorized relationship between the study

variables.

The Sentiments of the families were important in this study as presented in the

conceptual framework. This was the core of the study as it documented and analyzed the

patterns of the sentiments of the families to confirm if the government assistance programs

and government interventions were effective. The narratives and stories were thoroughly

analyzed to capture the sentiments of the families in Tinaclaan Clarin. As found in the

related literature, there were examples of government assistance programs and government

interventions that were already initiated. But this study which was enhanced during the

course of the fieldwork through interviews and document analysis were expanded to

expound the importance of effective measures in addressing the drug problem in the

country. Although law enforcement arm of the national government policies were effective

in enforcing the policy on Oplan Tokhang, as this were manifested in the implementation

of laws and memoranda in the barangays of city and municipal governments; however,
 5

despite the seriousness of the problems confronted, the police forces were still on the go

and were strongly motivated to do their job of protecting the community from drug users

and pushers to ensure their safety and maintain peace and order around the Philippines. For

the monitoring variables, the sustainability on law enforcement of the Barangay Anti-Drug

Abuse Councils (BADACs) through the full-scale implementation of the R.A. No. 9165 or

the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 became effective with the good local

governance by addressing the needs of the bereaved families based from their valid

sentiments. In the R.A. No. 9165, it asserted that, “it is the policy of the State to safeguard

the integrity of its territory and the well-being of its citizenry particularly the youth, from

the harmful effects of dangerous drugs on their physical and mental well-being, and to

defend the same against acts or omissions detrimental to their development and

preservation.”

Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to analyze the sentiments of Oplan Tokhang among drug users’

surrenderees in Tinaclaan Clarin. By analyzing the sentiments of Oplan Tokhang based

from the government’s stringent anti-drug war, the study used triangulation research to

address the statement of objectives.

1. What is the level of effectiveness of the Oplan Tokhang in combating the incidence

of drugs in the area of study as perceived by the respondents?

2. What is the present status of drug surrenders which resulted from the

implementation of the Oplan Tokhang in the area of the study?

3. What are the drugs reported incidents in the Municipality of Clarin?

4. What are the problems encountered in the implementation of Oplan Tokhang in the
 6

Municipality of Clarin specifically in Barangay Tinaclaan?

Significance of the Study

This study will be beneficial to the following individuals.

Surrenderee - It is a person who receives something that has been given up or surrendered

by someone else.

Community-Based Treatment- It is a holistic model of treatment in the community which

provides a continuum of care from outreach through integration including

maintenance pharmacotherapy, and coordination of services and assistance from a

number of health, and non-health specialists to meet the PWUD needs.

Rehabilitation – It a dynamic process or intervention emphasizing on aftercare and

follow-up treatment, directed towards attaining change in physical, psychological,

social, and spiritual life of the PWUD.

BSISM Students- This study can provide remedy towards their problem which is the goal

of this research.

Parents/guardians- Through this study, the parents will be more attentive towards the

safety of their children and in that way constant check-ups from parents will be made that

can make the students feel at ease and lessen their fear and anxiety on crime. This study

will also be significant to the future researchers, this will serve as a basis for further studies

and can be used as related literature.

Scope and Limitations

The study was focused on the drug users surrenders’ in Barangay Tinaclaan Clarin.

It focused on how to address the existing problems and able to find answers that could be
 7

a great help in Tinaclaan Clarin. The researcher also used related literature and studies of

some individuals to further support the study.

Research Methods

This section discussed the research design, research participants, research setting,

instrument validation, data gathering procedure, and data analysis.

Research Design. The study will employ a qualitative case study to achieve the

main goal of the study. According to Christopher Dubois (2016), he stressed

that “a qualitative case study is a research method which enables a complex

phenomenon to be explored through the identification of different factors

interacting with each other. The case observed is a real situation.”

Research Setting. The study will be conducted in Tinaclaan Clarin in the Province

of Misamis Occidental. The researcher will identify (28) barangays that

have existing families caused by the Oplan Tokhang based on the

documents presented by the PNP Clarin.

Research Participants. The respondents of the study are composed of two (2)

groups with a total of (10) respondents. The first group consists of three

PNP Personnel from their administration while the second group consists of

seven community residents of Barangay Tinaclaan Clarin. PNP personnel is

selected through the use of purposive sampling method because they were

the ones who has the knowledge and desired information in implementing

different advocacies regarding illegal drugs. The community residents were

selected through the use of incidental sampling that was based on their

availability.
 8

Research Instrument. As a means of collecting information, the researchers

employ two distinct tools and instruments: (1) interviews and (2) an

observation guide, as part of his overall research strategy.

Interview Guide. In the research process, the researchers aim to actively involve

the participants by delving into their personal experiences within the

resettlement sites in Barangay Tinaclaan Clarin. The researchers will create

and employ a series of interview questions to collect relevant data and

information that will contribute to the study.

Observation Guide. The researcher will use an observation guide to help the

researcher to systematically observe and record information about a specific

phenomenon or situation of the displaced among the resettlement sites in

Barangay Tinaclaan Clarin. It provided a structured framework for

collecting data through direct observation.

Instrument's Validity. The researcher will use some consolidated documents and

reports for document analysis from PNP Clarin City to carefully analyze the

data gathered to be cross-checked with the findings and results for better

assessment. The researcher will provide questionnaires for the interviews

that included his observations in the study.

Data Gathering Procedure. The researcher will deliver a consent and request

letter to the authorized people to obtain the necessary documents needed in

this study. Also, the researcher started with documentation analysis of

resettlement documents such as the LARP document of NIA (Land

 9

Acquisition and Resettlement Plan). After the letters had been settled, the

researcher began to conduct interviews among the participants.

Data Analysis. The researcher will collate, tally, and arrange all of the data and

information they had gathered into figures and tables so that they could

properly communicate the results of their study. As an outcome of this,

statistical approaches will be used in order to conduct the assessment.

Ethical Considerations

Upon receiving the approval letter from the thesis adviser. The researchers send a

letter to the barangay captain and PNP Clarin for asking permission to conduct an interview

in Drug Users Surrenderees in Barangay Tinaclaan Clarin. A letter exclusively to the

respondents is also being made.

 10

Definition of Terms

The following terms below are well defined operationally to better understand the

context of this study:

Abuse –It refers to the harmful use of drugs and substances, leading to negative

consequences on an individual's physical, psychological, or mental well-being.

Addiction -It refers to a chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and other

brain systems. It is a constant and extreme stimulation in the brain system that provides

pleasure or euphoria.

Advocacy –It refers to any action that speaks in favor of, recommends argues for a cause,

supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others.

Anti-Drugs –It refers to the efforts made to counteract drug use and its adverse effects.

The researchers will evaluate the impact and outcomes of the Anti-Drug Advocacy

Campaign on reducing drug abuse and promoting a drug-free environment.

Awareness -It refers to a perception of elements and moments within the context of time

or a physical space. It is essentially, knowledge, understanding and perception of key

processes of the organization or operation and how they are functioning.

Behavior –It refers to explicitly or clearly defined such that is measurable, can be

identified by two or more observers, and can be identified across time and in different

settings or context
 11

REFERENCES

Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) (2021, November). Drug War Rages
on in the Philippines: new Data on the Civilian Toll, State Responsibility, and
Shifting Geographies of Violence, ACLED. Retrieved from
https://acleddata.com/2021/11/18/the-drug-war-rages-on-in-the-philippines-
newacled-data-on-the-civilian-toll-state-responsibility-and-shifting-geographies-
of-violence/.

Cabalza, C. (2017, June). A Year in Living in War on Drugs: Fillenials Under Duterte’s
Imagined DrugFree Nation, Law and Society. Retrieved from
https://cbclawmatters.blogspot.com/2017/06/a-year-of-livingin-war-on-
drugs.html.

Palatino M. (2018, February 6). Duterte’s drug war in the Philippines: new campaign, old
problems. Retrieved from https://thediplomat.com/2018/02dutertes-drug-war-
inthe-philippines-new-campaign-old-problems/

Reuters. (2018, April 22). Nine out of 10 Filipino’s support Duterte’s drugs. Retrieved
from http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-eastasi/article/2115585/nine-out-10-
filipino-support-duterte’s-drugs-war
 12

Tangub City Global College

Maloro, Tangub City

Questionnaire

SENTIMENTS AND DILEMMAS AMONG DRUG USERS SURRENDEREES

CURRENT SITUATION IN CLARIN

Name (optional): ________________________________________ Date: _________

PART I: SOCIO DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

Age: __________
Sex: __________
Educational Attainment: ____________________________________

I. Greeting

II. The researchers will introduce themselves

III. Discuss the purpose of the Study

IV. Provide structure of the interview

V. Key Questions

1. What is the level of effectiveness of the Oplan Tokhang in combating the incidence of

drugs in the area of study as perceived by the respondents?

VI. Probing Questions

1. What is the present status of drug surrenders which resulted from the implementation

of the Oplan Tokhang in the area of the study?

2. What are the drug reported incidents in the Municipality of Clarin?

3. What are the problems encountered in the implementation of Oplan Tokhang in the

Municipality of Clarin specifically in Barangay Tinaclaan?

 13

VII. Ending Remark

1. Ask the participants if he/she would like to see a copy of the results

2. Thank the participants