BAGUIO CITY — Extrajudicial killings hurt Baguio City’s image as a tourism destination, according to Mayor Mauricio Domogan, who has ordered local police to investigate drug killings.
A team will be formed by the Baguio City Police Office to investigate deaths that occurred outside police operations, which has now reached 11 people. Domogan said police operations yielded only four deaths.
The mayor was alarmed after the killing Friday last week which happened in broad daylight in a school zone.
RELATED: Baguio City crime down as anti-drug drive ramps up
"This will reflect on the image of the city and the image of the police," the mayor said. "We should conduct investigations on who is responsible."
Killings began to “shock” the city when unidentified gunmen on board motorcycles gunned down alleged drug pushers starting July.
At least three killings in the past two weeks were in the vicinity of Phases Learning Center, University of the Cordilleras Elementary School and the University of Baguio Elementary Department.
Domogan said the task force assigned to look into the cases would take all factors into consideration.
Earlier killings, the city police pointed out, were done among drug syndicates aimed at silencing drug peddlers.