Pubdate: Mon, 02 Jan 2017
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2017
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

30 PEOPLE KILLED DAILY IN 167 DAYS UNDER DUTERTE

MANILA, Philippines -- An average of 30 people have been killed daily in
the past 167 days under the Duterte administration's intensified campaign
against criminality, especially the illegal drug trade.

Records from the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed 2,102 drug
pushers and users killed after allegedly fighting it out with police, and
2,886 others getting killed under sketchy circumstances and whose cases
are listed as "death under investigation" or DUI.

The reported deaths totaled 4,988 in less than six months.

The PNP National Operations Center (NOC) also reported that a total of
40,932 drug pushers and users were arrested from July 1 to Dec. 14 under
Project Double Barrel.

Police also reported that a total of 908,244 individuals -- 70,848 pushers
and 837,396 users -- surrendered after they were visited by police.

More than five million houses of suspected drug offenders have been
visited by law enforcers under Project Tokhang.

"DUIs are cases of murder pending investigation and are not automatically
connected with the campaign against drugs," the PNP said.

While President Duterte has claimed an average of two policemen getting
killed daily in the campaign against illegal drugs, PNP records showed
only 19 law enforcers killed and 55 others wounded since July 1.

Last July, PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa claimed common
crimes like murder, homicide, rape and robbery have declined due to an
intensified drive against criminality.

Dela Rosa vowed to keep up the momentum of the campaign against illegal
drugs to ensure greater public safety.

EJK probe body

Meanwhile, Sen. Panfilo Lacson suggested yesterday to President Duterte
the creation of a task group to investigate extrajudicial killings and
pursue their perpetrators.

Lacson said the formation of such a special group would make Duterte's
assertion that he was against summary executions credible to the public.

The senator proposed a special composite team of intelligence and
investigative personnel from the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation and
the Armed Forces "to vigorously address and solve the almost 4,000 DUIs or
vigilante-style killings and subsequently put a stop to other similar
incidents."

"Then and only then will we believe his earnest desire to stop those
killings," Lacson said.

He said the extrajudicial killings do not speak well of the anti-crime
campaign of the administration.

The senator's proposal came as the Senate has yet to vote on the report of
the committee on justice clearing Duterte of any involvement in the
extrajudicial killings of suspected drug pushers.

The report was prepared by Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the panel, and
Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous
drugs.

The two panels conducted an inquiry into the extrajudicial killings that
accompanied Duterte's war on drugs.

Apart from Gordon and Lacson, the other senators who signed the report
were Nancy Binay, Alan Peter Cayetano, Franklin Drilon, Gregorio Honasan,
Manny Pacquiao, Francisco Pangilinan, Vicente Sotto III and Juan Miguel
Zubiri.

- -- With Paolo Romero
- ---
MAP posted-by: