Manila cops kill 25 in overnight drug raids

MANILA, Philippines - At least 25 persons were killed in just 24 hours after the Manila Police District (MPD) conducted 40 separate anti-crime operations in parts of Metro Manila.

Fifteen of those killed were drug pushers who resisted arrest during drug stings, while the remaining 10 were robbery-holdup suspects, said MPD director Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel.

“These were products of our ‘one-time, big-time’ raids. In fact, our policemen are now looking for two drug users who were the cause of the fire on San Miguel street,” he said, referring to the fire that hit a residential area near Malacañang on Wednesday.

Coronel denied that the MPD is competing with the Bulacan police, earlier lauded by President Duterte for neutralizing 32 drug personalities on Tuesday.

Of the deaths in Manila, five persons were killed at Central Market, four each in Moriones, Tondo and Malate, three each in Sampaloc, Sta. Ana and Pandacan, two in Ermita, and one in Meisic.

“So far, for today, this is our biggest law enforcement operation, the biggest number of suspects neutralized in a single day,” Coronel said.

But Director Oscar Albayalde, National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) chief, hinted that the number might still rise as the operations, which started at 3 p.m. of Wednesday, continue.

No death was recorded from the operations at Raxabago in Tondo, Abad Santos and Sta. Mesa areas.

Photo shows a man weeping after his brother was killed in one of the overnight raids. JOVEN CAGANDE

Coronel denied that the drug suspects, with one shot outside an eatery and another who was just allegedly outside his residence for fresh air, were intentionally killed.

“In fact, two of our police officers were wounded in the last two weeks. One of them is for surgery. Doctors will insert titanium in one of his shoulders.  We are still looking for money to make this happen,” he told reporters.

Coronel pointed out that of the 1.7 million residents of Manila, about 300,000 are into illegal drugs and that only 24 of the city’s 896 barangays are drug-free.

“We hope to add more and have at least 100 villages (declared as) drug-free by end of the year,” he said.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada assured the MPD of his support as he called on offenders to renew their lives.

“In support of President Duterte’s war against drugs and criminality, we in the city of Manila have been serious in stamping out criminality and maintaining peace and order. And so I’m repeating my warning to criminals: give up or face the full force of the law,” Estrada said.

“I have your back. Just ensure that this operation is carried out within the parameters of the law and the suspects’ rights are not violated,” Estrada told Coronel.

Aside from the deaths, the MPD arrested 48 individuals wanted for murder, frustrated murder and human trafficking, and 118 others for violations of various city ordinances. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jose Rodel Clapano