The drug raid was conducted to arrest five drug dealers, but only two were captured. / AFP PHOTO / Noel CELIS
By Mar Gabriel
Eagle News Service
(Eagle News) – More than 100 have been killed, while more than 10,000 have been arrested by the Philippine National Police in its anti-drug operations since December 5 last year, according to the PNP records.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that whatever deaths that came about in the current drug war were the results of legitimate police operations.
“If there were unlawful deaths, such as in the case of Kian de los Santos, the President would order their (police) punishment,” Roque said in a news release.
According to PNP records, 102 persons have been killed since December 5, while 10,088 were arrested in the anti-drug war operations.
Police said that it was the Central Luzon police regional office which recorded the most number of deaths at 41 with 1,469 arrests, followed by police regional office 12 or in Soccsargen with 12 deaths and 361 arrests.
In Metro Manila, PNP National Capital Region Police Office recorded 15 deaths and 3,017 arrests.
The PNP also claimed they have had successful and “bloodless” tokhang operations. Of the 5543 tokhang operations since January 19 to March 1, there were at least 3,173 who had surrendered to the police.
Roque said that the government and the police will cooperate with the United Nations human rights probe but stressed that it was also important for these investigators not to have made any conclusions beforehand.
He said President Rodrigo Duterte felt that the UN rapporteur who will investigate the case was already biased.
“D)ahil sa tingin niya (Presidente) ay gustong pumasok ng mga UN rapporteur ay yung mga biased at mayroon ng konklusyon bago pa magkaroon ng imbestigasyon. Bakit ka nga naman makikipagtulungan sa isang rapporteur na mayroon na siyang konklusyon at kinakailangan na lang niya ay ilang bagay para masuportahan ang kanyang konklusyon,” Roque said. (with a Malacanang news release)