Senatorial candidate Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa criticized the bet of the opposition for the 2019 elections for trying to duplicate the style of ‘Oplan Tokhang’ in their campaign style.
Dela Rosa shared an article wrote by ABS-CBN about the eight candidates of the opposition, also called as ‘Otso Diretso’ knocking the doors of the voters personally to introduce themselves and their platforms.
The former retired General said that the style of ‘Otso Diretso’ is the same as the controversial ‘Oplan Tokhang’ which means approach and talk with alleged users and pushers.
Oplan Tokhang has been criticized several times by the opposition, saying that the cops used it in a wrong way.
“Akala ko ayaw ninyo ng oplan tokhang yun pala ay gagayahin rin ninyo.” Dela Rosa said in his Facebook post.
According to the article, Otso Diretso said that they started the campaign with “knocking on doors and shaking the hands of bystanders’ in the place where they’re visiting.
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said that they’re excited on doing door-to-door campaigning because it will be used for the national campaign for the first time.
“This campaign strategy of going house-to-house is a game-changer. It has not been done on a national scale,” Pangilinan said.
Dela Rosa started the ‘Oplan Tokhang’ during the time when President Rodrigo Duterte was still the Mayor of Davao City.
When President Duterte was elected as chief executive, Dela Rosa who got appointed as PNP Chief brought Tokhang on a national scale and started to knock the doors of alleged pushers and users.
However, it was criticized by the opposition saying that Oplan Tokhang was against human rights.