Some 6,600 Killed In Anti-Drug War In Philippines Since 2016 - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2019) Around 6,600 drug suspects have been killed since Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte unleashed a controversial war against illegal drugs in the country back in 2016, local media reported on Tuesday, citing the data from the Philippine National Police (PNP).

"We are on track to significantly reduce, if not totally eliminate illegal drugs in the country. But more work needs to be done... The law enforcement, PNP or PDEA [the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency], cannot do it alone. We need the whole nation to work together and fight this menace," Police Colonel Bernard Banac told the Manila Bulletin.

According to the data, over 240,000 people were arrested in the three-year-long anti-drug campaign, while over 1.2 million surrendered to the authorities.

Duterte continues his highly contended anti-drug campaign despite numerous complaints and threats of an investigation from the international bodies and human rights organizations. The president vowed to continue his campaign until his last day in office.

In March this year, the Philippines officially left the International Criminal Court after it repeatedly probed Duterte's policies toward drug offenders.