Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — A total of 25 suspects have been killed in anti-drug operations nationwide in just five days, according to a report Thursday from the Philippine National Police (PNP).
That is five drug suspects killed daily from June 16 to June 20, PNP data show. Some 552 were arrested.
The Calabarzon (Region IV-A) topped the haul with the most number of suspects arrested and killed.
From May 10 to June 20, a total of 54 were killed and 4,312 arrested.
Amid PNP’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs, hundreds of self-confessed drug users surrendered to the police Wednesday hoping to get help to kick the habit.
“The frontline is the PNP kaya ito ang masigasig na kampanya ng ating kapulisan (The PNP is on the frontline, that is why we see this enthusiastic campaign of our police force),” PNP Spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said. “Basically, that (anti-drugs campaign) is the number one priority of the next President.”
But Mayor clarified that even if policemen are inspired by the pronouncements of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and incoming PNP head, Chief Supt. Ronald dela Rosa, the police also performed well under the outgoing Aquino administration.
Police records show that over P13 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized and more than 85,000 drug offenders were arrested from January 2014 to April 2016.
“Makikita natin na for the past months, past years, marami naman tayong operations na ginawa,” Mayor said.
[Translation: “We can see that over the past months, past years, we conducted many operations.”]
Outgoing PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez refused to comment on the incoming administration’s anti-drug operations.
“Not for me to make a comment tungkol sa mga mangyayari at ipapagawa sa (about what will happen and what will be ordered to the) Philippine National Police,” Marquez said. He added each PNP Chief has his own focus.
Duterte and Dela Rosa are vocal about their desire to terminate illegal drugs syndicates in the country in three to six months.
The Commission on Human Rights and the human rights watchdog Amnesty International have raised concerns about the number of drug suspects being killed during police operations.
“Ang panawagan ay manatiling tayo ay napapamahalaan ng batas,” said Ritz Lee Santos III, chairperson of Amnesty International Philippines.
[Translation: “The call is for us to keep being ruled by law.”]
“Meron tayong konstitusyon, meron tayong revised penal code at meron tayong rules of court na dapat sundin. At hindi dapat mag-deviate dito ang ating law enforcers,” Santos stressed.
[Translation: “We have the constitution, revised penal code and rules of court that we should follow. And law enforcers should not deviate from these.”]
PNP officials said they are open to third party investigations into their operations to dispel doubts about the legality of their operations.
Also read: PNP: 68 drug-related suspects killed since start of the year
