Lived Experiences of Police Officers in the Implementation of Operational Plan Against Illegal Drugs

The Philippines is considered one of the international criminal courts after the President declared an all-out war on drugs to suppress its growing public alarm (Simangan & Melvin, 2019).As part of the strategy, the Philippine National Police initiated an intensive anti-drug operation in the entire Philippines, realizing the President's promise to suppress drugs and eradicate criminality (Ceniza, 2019).Anti-drug operations aim to promote a safer and healthier community through coordinated efforts of the PNP and other law enforcement agencies to prevent use, treat dependency, and reduce the production and distribution of illicit drugs.This program prevents the youth from using illegal drugs by improving their understanding of the harmful social and health effects of illegal drug use and developing and implementing community-based interventions and initiatives to prevent it (Vearrier, 2019).From a police chief's perspective, the drug problem presents distinguishable threats to community security (National Academies of Sciences et al., 2018).Most pressing is the violence associated with street-level drug dealing, particularly shabu.This violence involves youth gangs (Atun et al., 2019).Often the violence spills over into the general population, leaving innocent victims in its wake.There is also the worry that the practice of armed, organized violence is spawning the next generation of organized crime.Also salient is the close link between drug use and street crime.Criminal activity is known to vary directly with levels of drug consumption.Many of those arrested for robberies and burglaries use shabu during the commission A B S T R A C TIllegal drugs pose a pervasive and longstanding problem in the Philippine Archipelago, requiring the efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat their proliferation.This study focused on exploring the lived experiences of Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel in dealing with the challenges associated with illegal drugs, specifically in the context of Ozamiz City.Through interviews with five police officers, using a research-made interview guide and applying Moustaka's Transcendental Analysis, the study revealed four main themes: compromised personal and family security, the need to suppress crime escalation, resistance from suspects, and the dilemma of conducting surveillance.The findings of this phenomenological study underscore the multitude of challenges faced by police officers in their mission to combat illegal drugs.One significant challenge is the compromise of personal and family security, as officers are often exposed to threats and retaliation from individuals involved in the drug trade.The escalation of crime resulting from drug-related activities further emphasizes the urgency for law enforcement to suppress this issue from the community.However, officers encounter resistance from suspects who are unwilling to cooperate and may resort to tactics that jeopardize the safety of the officers' families.To address these challenges, police officers should prioritize through surveillance to gather accurate information on suspects and their activities.This entails utilizing available resources and collaborating with other agencies and stakeholders to gather the necessary intelligence.Additionally, ensuring officers' personal and family security should be a paramount concern, with appropriate measures in place to safeguard their well-being.