Zero EJK? PNP not facing the issue head-on, says Bam

Opposition Senator Bam Aquino on Friday said the police force "is hiding behind definitions" when it claimed that there has been zero extrajudicial killing so far under the Duterte administration despite the thousands killed in its war on drugs.

"Unfortunately, the PNP (Philippine National Police) is hiding behind definitions and not facing this issue head-on," he said.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos made the claim in reaction to a Social Weather Stations survey stating that 73 percent of Filipinos are worried that they or someone they know will fall victim to EJKs amid the PNP's war on drugs or Oplan Tokhang.

Aquino said based on recent surveys, only a small percentage of Filipinos believe that the killings of drug suspects are due to legitimate police operations.

"Maliit na porsyento na lang ang naniniwala na lehitimo ang mga patayan sa war on drugs, at malaki naman ang nangangamba na masasangkot sila kahit inosente," he said.

He urged the PNP "to address these concerns squarely by stopping the abusive in their ranks and instituting needed changes and reforms in their operations."

According to data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), a total of 3,811 drug suspects have been killed in anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016 to Aug. 29, 2017.

The number does not include the thousands more killed by suspected vigilantes believed to be empowered by President Rodrigo Duterte's rhetoric against drug suspects.

Duterte's drug war has been criticized by local and international human rights organizations and even by foreign governments. —KBK, GMA News