Philippine police anti-drugs operations have killed 712 since July, Senate hears...

The Philippines’ national police chief has said 712 people have been killed in police operations since 1 July in President Rodrigo Duterte’s hardline war on drugs.

Speaking at a Senate hearing on extrajudicial killings, Ronald Dela Rosa said 1,067 killings by vigilante groups had been documented over the same period.

The official tally for the past seven weeks is far higher than most unofficial counts of killings since Duterte was elected in late May.

Duterte ran on a no-nonsense, anti-establishment platform and promised to wipe out crime in his first three to six months in office. He has publicly stated that he will not pursue law enforcement officers who shoot dead drug dealers.

The 71-year-old leader, known locally as “the Punisher”, also urged citizens with guns to shoot and kill drug dealers who resist arrest and fight back. Full story...

Related posts:

1. Philippine President Duterte slams UN for critcising his war on drugs...
2. Duterte threatens 'martial law' if Philippines' Supreme Court obstructs his 'drug war'
3. Dozens of Philippine officials surrender after being linked to drugs trade...
4. Philippines president names officials linked to drugs: list includes police...
5. Death toll in the Philippines' war on drugs rises to more than 400 as Duterte's ...
6. Duterte appears to be widening his targets from criminals to business tycoons...
7. Philippine police shoot dead six bodyguards at mayor's house in war on...