MANILA, Philippines – Without using the word“isolated,” Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, Philippine National Police spokesperson, asked the public not to generalize the whole anti-drug campaign based on the death of 17-year-old student Kian Delos Santos last week.
“This is a separate incident. Huwag natin i-generalize na because of one incident, lahat ng police operation will result as same as to Kian,” Carlos said in a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Monday.
Carlos said that the death of Delos Santos is included in the 0.2 percent of anti-drug operations that led to deaths of suspects, and sometimes of police personnel.
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“Let us not generalize the incident involving the minor. Iba po ‘yan sa pang araw-araw na nagaganap,” Carlos said.
He argued that the campaign against illegal drugs has led to a peaceful community where the public feels safe.
“Ngayon ang tanong ‘pag ikaw ba ay lumabas ngayon ikaw ba ay naho-holdap ng adik? ‘pag lumabas ka sa gabi ngayon ikaw ba ay nare-rape ng adik? Ngayon ba sa mga panahon na ito ay nabubugbog ka ng adik?” the spokesperson said.
Carlos boasted about the 1.039 million surrenderees since the war on drugs was launched in July 2016 and the arrest of 90,000 drug suspects “who violated the law” but are alive and in detention.
“Ito po ang totoong resulta,” Carlos said.
The war against drugs had been criticized even before Delos Santos' death, with human rights advocacy groups claiming between 7,000 to 9,000 had been killed in the drug campaign as of May.
The government has disputed the number and questioned the motives of those who decry the deaths.
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'70 cops killed in operations'
He said that while suspects have been killed due to alleged resistance, the PNP has already also lost 70 policemen and 196 of their personnel have been critically wounded.
Delos Santos' tragic death at the hands of Caloocan City police have led to public outrage since closed-circuit television camera footage has suggested that he was ruthlessly killed.
His passing come after the spate of killings last week, including the highest number of drug-related deaths recorded in a single day – 32 drug suspects were killed in a “one-time, big-time” operation in Bulacan province.
The Senate, National Bureau of Investigation, Commission on Human Rights and PNP will conduct separate investigations.