25 killed in anti-crime ops in Manila in 24 hours

A total of 25 suspects were killed and 70 were arrested in separate police operations in Manila overnight, a police official said Thursday.

Superintendent Edwin Margarejo, Manila Police District spokesperson, said their personnel are still drawing up the official report on the operations.

He earlier said that the suspects killed were 26 but later gave a corrected breakdown showing only 25 died during police operations.

“‘Yung official report wala pa po considering na 26 na 'yung latest na napatay at overtime pa rin po ang mga imbestigador natin sa homicide,” Margarejo said in a text message to GMA News Online sent earlier in the day.

He said the operations were conducted from Wednesday up to Thursday morning.

In a breakdown provided to the media, the most number of killed suspects were recorded in Central Market Police Station with five, followed by Moriones-Tondo Police Station and Malate Police Station with four each.

Sampaloc Police Station, Sta. Ana Police Station, and Pandacan have three each suspects killed; Ermita Police Station with two; and Meisic Police Station with one.

Meanwhile, no drug suspect was killed in the jurisdiction of Raxabago Police Station, Jose Abad Santos Police Station, and Sta Mesa Police Station.

Moriones Station also posted the biggest number of arrested suspects with 24 followed by Sampaloc Station with 23.

Deputy Director General Tomas Apolinario, Philippine National Police deputy chief for administraion, said all the operations conducted by the police were legitimate.

“Lahat 'yan legitimate operations. Sinusuportahan natin ang ating pulis. Also, I would like to get the support of the community [and assure people] that the PNP is doing its job,” he told reporters.

Apolinario said the anti-illegal drug operations of the PNP has been an ongoing drive since the Duterte administration took office.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde believes the anti-drug operations call attention to themselves because of the number of deaths these exacted like the recent raids in Bulacan.

“Ever since, relentless ang efforts natin against illegal drugs. Time and again we have conducted one time big time,” he said.

“Na-highlight lang ito dahil sa nangyari sa Bulacan. Since pag-upo ng Pangulo ganito na ang sigasig against illegal drugs,” he said.

Bulacan police conducted simultaneous drug raids in the province from 12 a.m. of August 15 to 12 a.m. August 16. The number of drug suspects killed during the raids in those 24 hours is now pegged at 32, while 107 others were arrested, police director Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat said Wednesday. —KG/KVD, GMA News