Manila: More than 17,000 suspects were arrested and at least 68 people were killed in government anti-drugs operations during the first half of the year even as the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is yet to assume authority.
According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), intensified anti-illegal drugs operations and the coordination of various branches of the government under the so-called “whole of government approach” have resulted in the arrest or detention of 17,680 drug suspects from January 1 to June 15, 2016, throughout the country.
“These individuals were arrested through interdiction operations, enforcement of arrest and search warrants, checkpoints and other form of police operations,” the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management said in a statement.
The government launched the operations during an election year when drugs syndicates are expected to use their influence to get politicians who covertly support their illegal activities, elected.
Police ranks purge
Aside from politicians, local appointed and ordinary government employees are being bribed by drugs syndicates. These groups include those that operate from abroad.
The PNP had launched a purge among its ranks to rid the organisation of scalawags who use drugs or are engaged in dealing in illicit substances.
From among the 17,680 individuals arrested, 4,874 of them were from the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon provinces (Calabar).
Next is Metro Manila with 3,760 arrested drug suspects and followed by Central Luzon Region with 3,004 arrested individuals.
Meanwhile, out of the 68 killed suspects from January 1 to June 15, Central Luzon police recorded the most number of slain suspects at 25.
The anti-drugs drive was undertaken during the current administration of President Benigno Aquino III which will remain in authority June 30, 2016.
Earlier, authorities have been accused of using extrajudicial approach in stemming the drugs menace.
From Cebu to Batangas, authorities have employed apparent scare tactics and actual killing to keep drug traffickers from engaging in their illicit business.
'Duterte effect'
Although incoming President Rodrigo Duterte appears to have no direct hand in the killings, his earlier pronouncements of taking drastic measures against drug offenders apparently have an impact on Filipinos, especially those who engage in illegal activities.
“This is what could be considered as the ‘Duterte Effect,’” on drug lords, Duterte’s spokesman Ernesto Abella said.
Duterte had earlier said that he would employ armed citizens or vigilantes against drug dealers to curb the drugs menace
The use of illegal drugs is a major concern in the country.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) earlier said that some 8,629 of the 42,028 villages in the country confront drug problems in varying degrees.
