Philippines: Over 1,000 killed in ‘war on drugs’

Police in the Philippines say police officers have so far killed 1,019 people in what has been a de facto war on drugs since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power 2 months ago. The president has shown that he is not averse to police killings of suspects during their investigation of drug-related crimes. Duterte has vowed to eradicate drugs from the country in 6 months and is stepping up the battle against drug dealers. Police say nearly 15,000 people have been arrested and about 700,000 people turned themselves in for drug-related crimes. Names of incumbent judges and lawmakers suspected of involvement have been made public. However, the United Nations and human rights groups are voicing criticism against the government, saying its war on drugs are extrajudicial killings by the state. Police say all of the killings by officers were acts of self-defense. But many witnesses say some officers shot to...