Philippines govt’s anti-drug campaign kills 444 in one month!

Manila, Sept 28: Four hundred and forty four people have been killed in the Philippine government's anti-illegal drug campaign in just a month, according to the government data released by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday, September 26, Manila Bulletin reported. The deaths now push the toll in the campaign to 4,854.

Between July 1, 2016, and August 31, 2018, over a lakh operations were conducted nationwide in which 4,854 drug members were neutralised, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr. said in a Real Numbers PH forum in Camp Crème, the PNP's headquarters in Manila.

Till July 31, 2018, the number of executed drug suspects was 4,410 which means 444 more were killed in just 30 days which means almost 15 on a daily average.

Duarana also informed that 1,55,193 drug suspects were also arrested in the same period.

"I think we will take off from the statement of the President that the war on drugs is still far from over. There are still a lot of things to do when the crime syndicates are continuously innovating," Durana was quoted as saying.

Besides the killings, 223 drug dens and 12 clandestine laboratories have also been dismantled, informed chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's Public Information Office, Derrick Carreon. This mission resulted in the seizure of massive amount of illegal drugs and equipment, the Bulletin reported.