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Death toll in Philippine war on drugs climbs to nearly 2,000

Xinhua, August 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Philippine National Police Director General Ronald de la Rosa on Tuesday told a senate inquiry that 1,916 drug suspects have been killed in the war on illicit drugs since July 1, adding that about 750 of the dead were killed in police operations.

The figure is 137 more than the one he gave on Monday during the first day of an investigation in which he said 1,779 drug suspects were killed. Also on Monday, De la Rosa said that out of 1,779 deaths, 712 were killed in the ongoing operations while 1,067 died in "vigilante-type" killings.

The number of deaths were recorded since July 1, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte assumed the presidency on June 30. The figure also means that more than 30 people were killed every single day since.

De la Rosa also said about 300 police officers are also protecting drug lords.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has earlier named active and retired police generals who are allegedly protectors of drug syndicates.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno told a news conference that two of the five so-called "narco-generals" that Duterte named will soon be formally charged in court.

De la Rosa predicted that the number of casualties will continue to increase in the coming days as the administration continues its war against drugs.

The Duterte administration hopes to end the war on drug in six months. "At the end of six months I hope that we can stop the supply of drugs ... If we would be able to cut the supply we would certainly reduce the demand," said De la Rosa. Endit