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Duterte publicly denounces officials of links to drug trade

CCTV.com

08-08-2016 05:42 BJT

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is waging a war on drug suspects, has publicly named over 160 judges, mayors, legislators, police and military personnel, allegedly involved in narcotics and has warned them to surrender. It comes after the United Nations called for an end to extra-judicial killings in the Philippines. More than 800 drug suspects have been killed by police or vigilantes since Duterte's election on May 9th.

28-year old Christian Cartagena wanted to live. A few weeks ago, not long after it became apparent newly elected Philippine President Rodirgo Duterte was literally –dead serious – about his war against illegal drugs, he turned himself in to police.

"After he surrendered, he felt free. He went everywhere without a worry. He didn’t have to be afraid anymore, he told us," Cartagena said.

Turns out Christian was wrong. Two weeks after he was released by authorities, his body was found lifeless and riddled with bullets. His father couldn’t say if he sold drugs or if he was simply a drug user, but he had become a casualty of Duterte’s war on drugs.

When Rodrigo Duterte was campaigning for the presidency, he promised to wage a bloody war against drugs and crime. The fulfillment of that promise has been swift. Since taking office on June 30th , hundreds of drug suspects have been killed. Many of them in legitimate police operations, but a significant number also by unidentified assailants.

Everyday, bodies are found murdered in cold-blood, often accompanied by a sign that says, “I’m a drug dealer.” Michael Siaron was one of them. His case, captured in what Duterte has described as overly dramatic photos, has drawn the world’s attention, prompting local and international civil society groups and the United Nations to call for an end to the killing spree.

"Impunity persists because of the feeling that they will never be prosecuted. With these kinds of pronouncements, this gives the perpetrators the courage to do it because they know that somebody is behind them officially," Rey Cortez with National Union of People's Lawyers said.

President Duterte says his government will investigate extrajudicial killings, but cops who were just quote, carrying out their duty, have nothing to worry about. A sentiment echoed by the country’s police chief.

"Did you see anybody being killed by the police without firearm? There’s none. I stand by my men," Ronald Dela Rosa, director general of Philippine National Police, said.

Duterte’s approach is controversial, to say the least, but many Filipinos are rallying behind it.

"If they’re menaces to our society, they need to be dealt with an iron fist."
"Only those who are drug traffickers who can also kill are being killed."

But Christian never killed anyone. He thought he’d have a second chance… until someone decided he deserved no less than death.

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