Tao Po is a formal expression used by Filipinos to ask permission to enter a person's home, showing utmost respect to the physical boundaries and privacy of the homeowner.
At the height of the Philippine "War on Drugs," the police force was tasked to look for the homes of drug users, pushers and syndicates. The "Operation Tokhang" (tokhang = "knock" and "convince") was intended to make drug suspects to rehabilitate and change their ways. As the operations began, a bloody war ensued. Some suspects were taken out of their homes by force, and some "alleged" suspects resisted and fought for their rights. Some were lucky, while the others perished in the hands of those who swore an oath to protect people. "Tao po" is a plea from the children of those who were slain, gently knocking on heaven's doors to bring justice on earth.