Abalos: Erring cops to be held accountable over drug killings in Davao City

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on Friday vowed full accountability for erring cops involved in a string of bloody anti-narcotics operations in Davao City.

“Heads should roll if this is not a case of valid self defense,” Abalos said in a text message to GMA Integrated News.

The spate of killings in Davao City came on the heels of the public pronouncement by Mayor Baste Duterte on March 22 that “I hereby declare the campaign that the city is at war against drugs.”

In a span of four days after Duterte’s declaration, seven people were killed in separate anti-illegal drugs operations, prompting the Philippine National Police leadership to order a probe.

“There would be a thorough investigation by the PNP Internal Affairs,” added Abalos.

Seven Davao cops have been disarmed and relieved from their posts in view of the ongoing inquiry.

But even before the recent killings came to light, the city had already seen a bloody trail in the anti-illegal drugs campaign with 28 recorded deaths from January 1 to March 25 of this year based on PNP data.

“Sabi nga po ng ating chief PNP one death is too many kaya nga po pinapa imbestigahan ito ng PNP leadership,” said PNP spokesperson P/Col. Jean Fajardo in an earlier interview.

[As what our chief PNP said, one death is too many ... that's why the PNP leadership has called for an investigation.] — RSJ, GMA Integrated News