88 killed since police resume anti-drugs ops

EIGHTY-EIGHT people have been killed since the Philippine National Police (PNP) resumed its campaign against illegal drugs in December last year.

The latest PNP report shows the 88 died in 5,636 operations conducted nationwide.

Of the total casualties, 38 were reported killed in Central Luzon, 17 in the Soccsksargen Region and nine in Metro Manila.

PNP spokesman John Bulalacao said they all died during buy-bust operations and the

serving of warrants of arrests.

“Yes, they all fought back,” Bulalacao said.

The PNP conducted 2,489 operations nationwide in the third week of Operation Tokhang.

Out of the 2,489 operations conducted, 993 were in Northern Mindanao. This resulted in the surrender of 292 alleged drug personalities.

Metro Manila had 454 Tokhang activities, with 227 surrenderers.

The PNP was brought back to the war against drugs on December 5 and Operation Tokhang was relaunched on January 29.

In November 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte replaced the PNP with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as the lead government unit carrying out the anti-drug campaign after police operations caused a public uproar over the killing of some teenagers suspected of links to drugs.