Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin PHOTO FROM TWITTER
Opposition lawmakers on Thursday described as “insensitive” President Duterte’s lauding as positive the killing of 32 drug suspects in Bulacan during anti-drug operations conducted in the province on Aug. 15.
In a statement, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said the “One Time Big Time” operation by the Bulacan police only confirmed his fear that the country has been desensitized to killings.
READ: ‘That’s good,’ says Duterte on killing of 32 Bulacan druggies
“His remarks praising these killings are just as callous and insensitive,” Villarin said, urging the police to put an end to the killings.
In a press conference on Thursday, Makabayan lawmakers Act Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio and Gabriela Rep. Emmie de Jesus also lamented the President’s statement lauding the Bulacan killings.
“Tingin namin diyan destroy destroy… Nakakabahala na 32 napatay sa isang araw sa kampanya niyang Double Barrel at ang pagkakaformulate pa niya ay positive (We see this [operation] as destroy destroy…It’s worrisome that 32 people got killed in one day in the Double Barrel campaign and his lauding it as positive,” they said.
On Wednesday, Manila police also took down 26 drug suspects in its own anti-drug operations. Police has said the drug suspects were killed for resisting arrest. ASU
READ: 26 die in Manila after ‘resisting’ in MPD anti-drug ops