Dela Rosa said that 300 of his officers were suspected of involvement in the drug trade and would be relieved of their duties and tried in court. “We hope there is balance when they portray us”.
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“And contrary to the perception of some sectors of the society, the Police Operations in Double Barrel would show that the focus is really on the Project Tokhang or in the conduct of house visitations in order to persuade users and pushers to stop with their illegal activity as there are more surrenders and arrested than killed Drug Personalities as a result of the police operations”, he said. However, official numbers of those confirmed to have died in the course of the crackdown are constantly being updated, with the Reuters news agency reporting that almost 2,000 people had actually been killed.
Dela Rosa said that there was no declared policy to kill drug users and pushers. Antonio Trillanes about the police response to 1,160 drug-related killings that have occurred since the beginning of July.
“I don’t give a sh*t about [the UN]”, Duterte said.
Newly elected Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte launched a war on drugs about seven weeks ago.
“Our own people are also victims, they are also killed”.
Dela Rosa, citing data from the Dangerous Drugs Board, said Tuesday that 756 suspects have been killed in police operations since the war on drugs began, and that internal police investigations in these cases are ongoing.
“This has a chilling effect”, said Senator Frank Drilon after the police chief’s deposition. CNN could not independently verify the figures the government provided.
The police does not and will not condone vigilante killings, he said asserting that these have been perpetrated by crime syndicates. “I hope this hearing will help bring a resolution to the drug problem”, he said.
This has only increased the concerns of worldwide human rights groups and Amnesty global have issued a “call to action” campaign.
The United States, a close ally of the Philippines, said it was “deeply concerned” by the reports, and US State Department spokesman Mark Toner urged Duterte’s government to ensure that law-enforcement authorities abided by human rights norms.
Several weeks into the tenure of Rodrigo Duterte, the hardline president, the Philippines’ anti-narcotics operation is in full swing despite pressure from human rights groups and Manila’s worldwide partners. He said, “We continue to make clear to the Philippines government. our concern about human rights, extrajudicial killings, but we are also committed to our bilateral relationship and strengthening that bilateral relationship”.
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On Tuesday, Mr. Duterte indicated that his threat to take the country out of the United Nations was a joke.
