Looking only at drug war deaths unfair to PNP, Paquiao says

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao said on Wednesday that it is unfair for the police officers to only see the death toll when thousands have surrendered.

"Unfair sa PNP (Philippine National Police) naman kasi kung ikumpara natin, ilang-libo-libo yung naaresto na sumuko," Pacquiao said in a televised interview on Wednesday.

He added that not everyone killed in the war on drugs is due to police operations.

"Nagkataon lang talaga na pag operation nila, may mga lumaban," the senator said.

In a report from the PNP last January 25, a total of 52,041 drug personalities were arrested, while 1,174,331 pushers and users surrendered. Meanwhile, a total of 2,517 suspected drug personalities were killed in police operations as of January 25 while there are 3,603 cases of deaths under investigation as of January 9.

Under Project Tokhang police officers knock on a suspected drug personality's door and plead for them to surrender.

According to the report of the PNP, the number of people killed since July 1 already rose to 7,042 as of the latest count on January 25.

So far 922 death under investigation cases have been solved.

Pacquiao also argued that not all surrendered peacefully as others fought back.

"Alam mo naman pag drugs, parang sinisira mo yung utak mo. So wala na sila sa tama pang pag iisip, so lumalaban din yung iba," Pacquiao said.

The senator suggested that police officers conducting operations should have two body cameras, one on the chest and one on the helmet, to know whether or not the suspect indeed fought back.

Pacquiao reiterated his support for President Rodrigo Duterte's war against drugs, saying that narcotics are like termites eating away the Philippines.

"Mas maganda maalis na yang drugs. I hate drugs," Pacquiao added.