PNP: Drug-related killings not alarming

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday shrugged off concerns that the number of drug-related killings as part of the Duterte administration's intensified anti-criminality campaign has reached alarming levels.

At a press conference, PNP Acting Director for Operations Chief Superintendent Camilo Cascolan said the number of drug suspects ending up dead was quite low compared to the number of drug users and pushers who voluntarily surrendered or were arrested in police operations.

Is the growing number of suspected drug criminals being killed a cause for alarm? PNP's Camilo Cascolan said "No." pic.twitter.com/QjZr9OYLkX

— Virgil Lopez (@virgillopez) July 22, 2016

As of 6:00 a.m. on  Friday, the PNP has tallied 239 suspected drug pushers killed nationwide from July 1 to 22.

The police have also arrested 3,213 drug personalities and recorded 120,038 surrenderees.

Asked to make a categorical statement if the drug killings should be a cause for alarm, Cascolan said: "No."

"What is the percentage then (as against the number of arrested or surrenderees)? It is still less than 4-5 percent. We don't just hit them if they don't fight us," he added.

PNP: 239 drug pushers killed in the first 3 weeks of July; 120,000 surrenderees. pic.twitter.com/ii6lHbzfvH

— Virgil Lopez (@virgillopez) July 22, 2016

   Downtrend in crime   

Meanwhile, the PNP was optimistic that the crime volume will continue to go down as they intensify operations against illegal activities in the succeeding months.

Cascolan noted a "significant downtrend" in crime volume in the first half of the year.

From 52,950 crime incidents in January 2016, the total crime volume slipped to 46,060 crime incidents in June, PNP data show.

Concern over drug-related killings

Some personalities, led by Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Leila De Lima, and human rights group earlier expressed concern over the spate of drug-related killings which they feared could be done at the expense of innocent civilians.

De Lima filed last week a resolution calling for a congressional probe into the killings, irking Solicitor General Jose Calida who branded the senator's plan as an opportunity for her to gain media mileage and a move to stop the momentum of the government's anti-drug war.

In the resolution, De Lima, former justice secretary and chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, said the probe aims to ensure full respect for the citizens' basic human rights, especially the right to life, and the accountability of law enforcers for their actions.

Even if those who were killed were criminals, the senator said the fight against crime should not loom into a  state-sanctioned cover for a policy of summary executions and extrajudicial killings.

“Extrajudicial or summary killing is homicide. Carried out premeditatedly and in conspiracy with other public authorities, it becomes mass murder, which, if left unabated and unchecked, can escalate into a crime against humanity under international law,” she said.

The PNP, however, has repeatedly said they did not condone vigilante style of executions. — VVP, GMA News