Hundreds killed in drug crackdown in Philippines

“The punisher“, as Duterte is often called, came to power on a populist, anti-crime platform promising to kill drug dealers, after previously cracking down on petty criminals as the mayor of Davao City, the Philippines’ third largest city.

Upon assuming presidency, Duterte made a public call for police and citizens alike to execute people who use or sell drugs, promisingmedals for citizens who comply, and pardons for police if they are charged with human rights violations while carrying out the executions.

A gunfight broke out between law enforcers and supporters of Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr.at dawn on Wednesday outside his property in the central town of Albuera on Leyte, police said.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte promises to wipe out crime and illegal drugs during his inaugural State of the Nation Address.

President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his inaugural speech as the President of the Philippines at the Malacanang Palace in Manila, Philippines June 30, 2016.

Around 40 percent were killed by either unidentified gunmen or were found with a drug-related sign near them.

Statistics published twice a week in the national Philippine Daily Inquirer have counted 465 deaths of drug dealers, pushers and addicts, killed by vigilantes in July alone.

“UNODC stands ready to further engage with the Philippines and all countries to bring drug traffickers to justice with the appropriate legal safeguards in line with global standards and norms, and promote prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration approaches based in evidence, science, public health and human rights”, Fedotov said.

PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa said that his force was targeting drug lords, and added that criticisms that the police only catches – or kills – street-level dealers “only increase(s) my urge to kill big time drug lords”.

This video includes clips from ABS-CBN, Rappler and Presidential Broadcast Staff Radio Television Malacañang and images from Getty Images.

‘War on drugs’ out of control?

Many of those who presented themselves with pledges to straighten out their lives wore rubber wristbands bearing Duterte’s name – materials used during his election campaign. When I mentioned to him about the alarming number of vigilante killings which was more than 200, he corrected me right away.

While his campaign has been widely popular in the impoverished Philippines, more groups have begun criticising Duterte, with De Lima calling for a congressional probe into the killings.

Even as Duterte moves forward with attempts to forge peace with insurgents, rights groups warn that his war on drugs could spiral into even greater violence.

“Forget the laws on human rights”. Many drug users are being killed even though there is no proof of being involved in drug trafficking.