PNP chief: 46 killed in 'war on drugs' operations under Marcos

FILE - An alleged drug dealer is handcuffed after a drug buy bust operation conducted by policemen where they caught this 18 year old boy selling marijuana in Manila on May 12, 2018. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs has left nearly 4,000 drug suspects dead and seen human rights groups claim he was responsible for a crime against humanity. The anti-drugs campaign enjoys popular support while the fiery-tongued Duterte has rejected any criticism of his human rights record.

AFP / Noel Celis

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police said Monday that close to 50 suspects have been killed in anti-drug operations five months into President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s term.

The disclosure comes amid an announcement by the government that the "war on drugs" would focus more on preventing drug use and the rehabilitation of drug dependents. It also comes after Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri played down deaths in the anti-narcotics campaign as an old issue.

Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, PNP chief, said in a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Monday that 32 have died in PNP operations while 14 others were killed by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. 

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/11/14/2223749/pnp-chief-46-killed-war-drugs-operations-under-marcos