Over 100 killed in war on drug since police rejoined campaign

More than 100 drug suspects have been killed since police rejoined the war on drugs campaign at the order of President Rodrigo Duterte last December, according to the report of The Manila Times Online on Sunday.

Chief superintendent John Bulalacao confirmed that a total of 102 drug suspects were killed during December 5 and March 1.

Before December 5, more than 4,000 drug suspects were killed between June 2016 when Duterte assumed his presidential office and February 8 this year.

But human rights activists alleged that around 12,000 people were killed in the drug war, many of them by shadowy vigilantes.

In February, the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court said she had opened a preliminary examination into the alleged abuses. Lately, the government has said it is willing to allow a UN special rapporteur into the country to look into the accusations.

But Duterte has told police and military to not cooperate with the rapporteur.

“Do not answer. Do not bother, said Duterte on Thursday. “Why would we be answering? And who are you to interfere in the way I would run my country? You know very well that we are being swallowed by drugs,” said Duterte.