5,856 suspects killed in anti-drug ops since 2016 — PDEA

SHOOTOUT A gun is recovered at the spot where drug suspect Rolando Bugarin died after a shootout with policemen in Biñan City, Laguna province, in July. —PHOTO COURTESY OF CALABARZON PNP

MANILA, Philippines — The number of drug suspects killed in anti-drug operations has increased to 5,856 since the government’s drug crackdown began in July  2016, recent data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) showed on Friday.

PDEA’s Real Numbers PH showed that 46 more drug suspects were killed from 5,810 on July 31 this year to 5,856 on Aug. 31 this year.

Meanwhile, from July 2016 until Aug. 31, 256,788 suspects were arrested in 176,777 conducted anti-drug operations.

In the same period, 885 government employees were also arrested in anti-narcotics operations. Of these, 431 are government employees, 352 are elected officials and 102 are uniformed personnel.

PDEA also revealed that narcotics and laboratpry equipment valued at P53.46 billion were seized  from July 2016 until the end of August 2020.

Of the total value, authorities seized P43.69 billion worth of shabu or crystal meth.

From 2016 until Aug. 31, PDEA said 603 drug dens and 17 clandestine laboratories were also raided.

/MUF