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PNP’s latest drug war tally counts 5,779 dead


The official number of drug suspects killed in the Duterte administration's campaign against illegal drugs has increased to more than 5,700, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.

In a presentation before the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, the PNP said 5,779 drug suspects have been killed in police anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016 to August 31, 2019—up by 253 from the figure as of June 30.

During the same period, the PNP said, a total of 142,996 anti-drug operations were launched, wherein 1,499,474 drug personalities were accounted for.

Of these, 1,285,416 personally appeared or surrendered while 208,279 were

arrested.

The PNP also said that 14,549 barangays nationwide have been cleared of drugs as of August 31, 2019.

A total of 18,356 barangays are still subject for drug clearing operations while 9,140 others were categorized as unaffected, the PNP added.

Moreover, the PNP said it has accounted for a total of 445,669 individuals who surrendered, of whom 233,784 have undergone its Recovery and Wellness Program and 210,979 have completed the Community-based Rehabilitation Program. Another 906 have been accommodated in the Balay Silangan Reformation Centers.

The PNP said that it aims to sustain this momentum, but the violent anti-narcotics campaign has pitted the Duterte administration against human rights advocates and has garnered negative international attention.

Last June, 11 independent experts urged the UN Human Rights Council to launch an independent investigation into what they called a sharp deterioration in human rights across the Philippines due to "staggering number" of what they call violent and unlawful killings of drug suspects.

The UN experts also decried attacks on Duterte's critics and human rights advocates. — BM, GMA News

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