POLICE CHIEF STOPS ANTI-DRUG CRACKDOWN AMID SCANDAL

MANILA, PHILIPPINES The Philippine police chief stopped the use of the national police force in anti-drug operations Monday and disbanded all police anti-narcotics units after the president’s brutal crackdown was used as a cover by rogue officers to kidnap and kill a South Korean man for money.

Police Director-General Ronald Dela Rosa told police officers he would use the indefinite halt of anti-drug operations to launch a purge of police involved in crimes.

A counter-intelligence force would be formed to catch rogue officers and review records of those previously implicated in crimes.

An estimated 7,000 drugrelated killings have occurred since President Rodrigo Duterte started his anti-drug crackdown in July, and more than 2,500 of those involved suspects who allegedly fought back and were gunned down in clashes with police.