Palace: Duterte has single standard in drug war

Amid the rising death toll in the administration’s relentless fight against illegal drugs, Malacañang Palace on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte had only one standard in combating the drug menace.

Citing the President’s spokesperson Ernesto Abella, the presidential communications office said Duterte’s “top to bottom instruction is that police operations must be with regularity in the performance of functions.”

Malacañang earlier welcomed a proposed investigation into drug-related killings amid the administration’s ongoing drive against drug trade, but noted that complaints should be supported by substantial evidence.

Human rights lawyers and lawmakers have raised alarm over the increasing body count, as the Philippine National Police confirms the killing of more than 100 drug suspects.

Sen. Leila de Lima, former justice secretary and human rights chief, said she would file a resolution for an inquiry into the drug killings, noting the “telltale signs of summary executions” in a number of cases.

Duterte won the elections in a landslide, with a platform deeply rooted on a relentless war on drugs and criminality, including shoot-to-kill orders against drug lords and peddlers. YG