Where did the 7,000 figure of drug killings come from?
The Philippine National Police (PNP) wants to correct Vice President Leni Robredo and others claiming in media reports that the 7,000 deaths were all related to illegal drugs.
Only a few percentages of the 7,000 deaths were committed by the police in legitimate drug operations, PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos pointed out.
In a recorded video message, Robredo expressed her strong opposition to the Duterte administration鈥檚 brutal war on drugs, noting that more than 7,000 have become victims of extrajudicial killings since the campaign started in July.
Robredo鈥檚 message will be shown at the forum organized by the Washington-based Drug Reform Coordination Network (DRCNet) for the 60th United Nations (UN) Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting on Thursday at the Vienna International Center in Austria.
鈥淏inanggit doon sa video na pinagbasehan 鈥榶ung 7,000 summary killings. Where did we get that figure?鈥� Carlos said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
(It was mentioned in the video that there were 7,000 summary killings.)
Based on PNP data, only 2,582 were killed in legitimate drug operations.
Meanwhile, the PNP recorded 4,049 鈥渄eaths under investigation.鈥� Only 682 were found to be drug-related. 鈥淭he rest are regular crimes happening on the street,鈥� he said.
鈥淪ana ho itama 鈥榶ung pagbibigay ng basis鈥� Hindi 鈥榶ung we float the numbers and then make it appear it is the general situation,鈥� Carlos said.
(We鈥檙e hoping it will be corrected and showing their basis鈥�)