And the president has championed the rise in death toll – up from the 68 suspects killed by police from January 1 through June 15 of this year – as proof of the “success” of his anti-drug campaign, saying in mid-July that “while the campaign against drugs is far from ideal, a generation of Filipinos have been saved from this scourge of society and destroyer of lives”, according to AFP.
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Police have claimed suspects resisted arrest or shot at them, but have provided no evidence, according to the Washington Post.
A man is detained after police officers saw him possessing a plastic of solvent in Las Pinas in southern Manila.
Human rights groups have repeatedly criticized the Duterte administration’s heavy-handed approach and say that the methods apparently sanctioned by the government have resulted in hundreds of extrajudicial killings. The newly elected leader’s comments follow statements made in his home city of Davao, where he confirmed his ‘shoot-to-kill’ order on drug dealers would remain in place until he left office.
“We came here to support the program of our beloved President Rodrigo Duterte and chief PNP General Bato, and to admit that in 2001 and 2002, we were involved in drugs”, Abinal said in Filipino.
Duterte, who has vowed to end the narcotics trade and criminality within six months, accused the politicians of destroying lives and of enriching themselves at the expense of the people.
In his speech, Duterte said there were as many as 600,000 people connected to the drug trade in the country, including both dealers and users, and blamed the high number on the complicity of “government personnel” who are “into the (illegal drug trade)”. “It is part of the global law, not only of the Philippines, but around the world”, he said, referring to the ban on the use of landmines.
On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch called on the United Nations and worldwide narcotics authorities to condemn the surge in violence, in a joint letter drafted by the global Drug Policy Consortium.
However, human rights groups and families of numerous victims of the crackdown said several of them were poor Filipinos and had nothing to do with drug-related activities.
On the other hand, the President had announced his vision regarding the drug dealers on July 25. “(PNP Chief) General Dela Rosa would kill me if I didn’t turn myself in”, he told media at a press conference, CNN Philippines reports.
Other officials, who have not been publicly named, have also been linked to drug trafficking, Abella said.
More than 700 people have reportedly been killed as part of a drug crackdown since Rodrigo Duterte won the presidential election in May.
“The incident this morning was related to the investigation on alleged drug trade by the mayor and his son”, Carlos said. “This is just the start”, De Lima said.
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Duterte said he was also offering soldiers and police his “official and personal guarantee” of immunity from prosecution for killings undertaken in the performance of their duties. “While they have no immediate ratings impact, we regard this aspect of the law and order focus of the new government as troubling because it has the potential to cast a shadow over enforcement of criminal laws without due judicial process and raises the possibility of breaches of civil rights and social unrest”.
