The president’s pledge to sweep out drug criminals within six months has forced police to crack down on drug crimes, leading to a surge in killings.
Advertisement
Relatives of slain people cover their faces as they attend a Senate hearing investigating drug-related killings at the Senate headquarters in Pasay city, metro Manila, Philippines August 22, 2016.
The State Department comment on Monday followed the release of Philippines police figures showing there have been about 1800 drug-related killings since Duterte took office seven weeks ago and launched a war on narcotics, far higher than previously believed. “If you’re that rude, son of a bitch, we’ll just leave you”. According to the nation’s largest broadcaster, ABS-CBN, 1,054 people have been killed since the May elections.
Duterte, nicknamed “the Punisher”, was voted to power promising to wipe out drugs and warning traffickers they risked death if they did not mend their ways.
Director-General Ronald dela Rosa said about 300 police officers were on a watch list on suspicion of selling drugs confiscated in raids or protecting syndicates involved in the manufacture and distribution of narcotics.
He also urged legislators not to interfere with his campaign, saying they could be killed if they blocked efforts aimed at rooting out drug trafficking.
Dela Rosa and the PNP’s top officials were in the Senate on Tuesday for the second day of the Senate’s probe into the rise of killings as the new administration waged its war against illegal drugs. Duterte’s “shock and awe” approach reflects not only his commitment to eradicating drugs, Heydarian said, but also extremely high public expectations.
United States officials said today they are “deeply concerned” over the recent government crackdown on illegal drugs in the Philippines that has led to an alarming number of extrajudicial killings.
HRW Deputy Asia Director Phelim Kine said the worldwide community should make it clear to President Rodrigo Duterte that inciting violence is unacceptable.
He said the United Nations was silent on the massive killings happening in some regions.
On Monday, the senators heard from two women whose family members had been killed by the police.
Asked whether it was appropriate for Duterte to raise the issue of police shootings in America, Toner said, “I would say it’s appropriate for anyone anywhere to ask questions or look at – again, we’re a transparent, I hope, country”.
Antonio Trillanes IV Dela Rosa said: “If only the President orders us to stop the war on drugs, then we will just neglect it”.
Advertisement
Dela Rosa said 756 alleged drug suspects were killed in police operations while 1,160 were killed outside police operations, including those bodied found in several areas with cardboard telling they are involved in illegal drugs.
