Philippines drug war deaths climb to 1,800, president spars with U.N.
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Source: Reuters
The Philippines has recorded about 1,800 drug-related killings since President Rodrigo Duterte took office seven weeks ago and launched a war on narcotics, far higher than previously believed, according to police figures.
Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa told a Senate committee on Monday that 712 drug traffickers and users had been killed in police operations since July 1.
Police were also investigating 1,067 other drug-related killings, Dela Rosa said, without giving details. The comments came a day after Duterte lashed out at the United Nations for criticizing the wave of deaths.
As recently as Sunday, the number of suspected drug traffickers killed in Duterte's war on drugs had been put at about 900 by Philippine officials. But this number included people who died since Duterte won the May 9 presidential election.
Read more: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN10X0IS
1,800 people killed since May 9th!
Tempest
(14,591 posts)Great way to get rid of a competitor, an ex-spouse, a business partner, someone you're mad at, etc.
"They were a drug dealer and/or addict."
NWCorona
(8,541 posts)True Dough
(17,091 posts)last night and the top-ranked comment, by far, was one to the effect that there were more deaths prior to Duterte's initiative and those deaths were related to the trafficking of drugs and included many innocent people or ones hooked on drugs. Now the majority of deaths are drug dealers, so it's the lesser of the evils.
That was the gist of it, and there were similar comments by other people of Filipino heritage with plenty of support.
I'm in favor of letting due process play out in a court of law, but I'm not on the ground in the Philippines.
Tempest
(14,591 posts)Did the commenter provide verifiable metrics to back up that claim?
Because just saying it's so doesn't make it true.
True Dough
(17,091 posts)I don't know how there could be. There is no conclusive trial in a court of law to determine that. It's largely based on vigilante justice.
I think it's a scary situation, but, again, many Filipinos seem to express support for Duterte's authoritarian measures.
Person 2713
(3,263 posts)solution to all of these . But he is extremely popular
I don't know anything about the culture and why this is allowed and popular or why the people want out of the UN . I would think they would see benefit from nation unions like that but maybe I am missing something or it is just a society breaking down
parkia00
(571 posts)But it is inevitable that these killings will spread. Maybe under his direct order or not or some lower rank commander. It does not matter. It's just a matter of time the killings will spread to his critics, journalist who do not tow the line and basically anyone he or his associates find to be a threat.
In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)Duplicate of: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141555656
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