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Philippines to investigate unlawful drug war killings
The Philippine government was already looking into the unlawful killings in the wake of the war against illegal drugs started by President Rodrigo Duterte, a senior government official said.
Manila: The Philippine government was already looking into the unlawful killings in the wake of the war against illegal drugs started by President Rodrigo Duterte, a senior government official said.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar on Monday was responding to a resolution issued by the European Union expressing concern on the spate of killings involving drug suspects, Xinhua news agency reported.
"Extra-judicial killing is not a policy of this administration. We will never condone any unlawful killings," he said.
The call of the European Parliament to launch an immediate investigation is already being addressed as President Duterte has already instructed authorities to look into these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice, Andanar explained.
As to the specific, comprehensive policies and programs in compliance with human rights, he said plans for the construction of drug rehabilitation centres were now underway.
He noted that at least four rehabilitation centres will be built this year, two in Luzon, one in the Visayas, and one in Mindanao.
Since Duterte assumed office on June 30, over 700,000 drug users and pushers have surrendered to authorities while more than 3,000 drug suspects were killed.
The President has also sought for six-month extension to end illegal drug problem in the country from his initial target of three to six months.