Philippines mayor shot dead in drugs raid

Police in the southern Philippines said they fatally shot 14 people yesterday, including a city mayor who was among the politicians President Rodrigo Duterte publicly linked to illegal drugs, in the bloodiest assault so far in Duterte’s anti-drug crackdown.

Officers were to serve warrants to Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog to search his houses for the suspected presence of unlicensed firearms when gunmen opened fire on the police, sparking clashes that killed the mayor and at least 14 other people, Ozamiz police chief Jovie Espenido said.

“He’s a high-value target on illegal drugs,” said Mr Espenido, who oversaw the simultaneous, postmidnight raids on the mayor’s residence and three other houses.

At least five people, including Parojinog’s daughter, who serves as vice mayor of Ozamiz, a port city, were arrested during the raids.

Duterte has vowed not to stop until the last drug dealer in the country has been eliminated.