No such thing as EJKs, PNP chief Cascolan says

For Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan, there is no such thing as extrajudicial killings.

At a press briefing on Monday, Cascolan was asked about some of the impression that state forces are the ones who supposedly perpetrate EJKs amid the anti-illegal drugs campaign.

The PNP chief said those who have information about alleged EJKs must come to authorities so that their reports could be investigated and cases could be filed against suspects.

"First, if you have that notion, come to me, we will investigate. Number two, there's no such thing as EJK. Wala naman 'yan eh. Everything, the people, the PNP has fought hard to really reduce illegal drugs and it's a survival for our people," Cascolan said.

"There's no such truth when it comes to EJK because EJK sabi ko nga state-sponsored, will the President sponsor state killing? No. Will other people in the government do that? I don't believe so," he added.

The anti-drug war of the Duterte administration has been criticized by local and international human rights groups as it is being linked to extrajudicial killings.

Critics of the drug war said the number of slays increased to more than 27,000 while law enforcers estimated the number of slain drug suspects to 6,000.

Cascolan is the co-author of the reinvigorated Oplan Double Barrel under the government’s war on drugs, which focused on high-value targets.

He previously said cases should be built-up against high-value targets involved in illegal drugs and small-time drug users should not be killed. — RSJ, GMA News