25 drug dealers slain in 5 days
With less than a week before President-elect Rodrigo Duterte assumes office, 25 suspected drug dealers have been killed in the past five days as the Philippine National Police steps up its antinarcotics drive.
This contrasts with the 39 drug suspects killed from Jan. 1 to May 9 this year and the 29 suspects earlier slain from May 10 to June 15.
Latest PNP data showed that 25 drug suspects were killed in police operations throughout the country from June 16 to June 20. This means five drug suspects killed in police operations each day.
The war against illegal drugs has turned intensive, according to PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, because “it’s the No. 1 priority of the incoming president.”
Mayor in a press briefing in Camp Crame said the Calabarzon region had the highest number of slain drug suspects at 20.
This was followed by Central Luzon and Central Visayas, with two suspects slain each, and northern Mindanao with one suspect killed.
Mayor said that even before Duterte assumes office, the PNP has been aggressive in its anticrime campaign.
He said that from June 16 to 20, a total of 552 drug suspects were arrested nationwide, with the Calabarzon region recording the biggest number of arrests at 206.
Metro Manila came in second with 119 apprehensions, followed by Central Luzon with 68 arrests, he added.
He said that as part of police procedures, the PNP investigates all deaths, including those from legitimate police operations.
“If a suspect is killed or wounded, there will be an investigation. The internal affairs service and the territorial unit conduct the investigations,” he said.
He said the PNP needs to know the circumstances behind the police operations and why the suspects were killed. With a report from Toni Dianne Bellen
