- Title: Families of drug war killings demand justice
- Date: 18th August 2017
- Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 18, 2017) (REUTERS) PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE HOUSE OF KILLED DRUG DEALER WILSON CASTILLO RELATIVE OF CASTILLO STANDING OUTSIDE HOUSE BOUQUET WITH MESSAGE READING (English): "CONDOLENCE" DEATH CERTIFICATE OF CASTILLO AT HOUSE ENTRANCE RELATIVES LOOKING AT COFFIN
- Embargoed: 1st September 2017 12:07
- Keywords: drug war Rodrigo Duterte killings funeral
- Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
- Reuters ID: LVA0016UOO951
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Families of drug war victims demanded justice on Friday (August 18) after three days of intensified police operations that has killed at least 80 people this week.
Police have been initiating what it described as a "One-time, big-time" operations in the Philippine capital and surrounding provinces in its push to curb drugs and street crimes.
Julietta Ortega, a relative of a killed drug dealers at a slum community in Manila, said her nephew Wilson Castillo was no longer into drugs, but was killed on Wednesday (August 16). She blamed President Rodrigo Duterte for instigating the police to kill drug users.
Several family members joined the dozens of activists in protesting against the war on drugs, carrying placards and photos of those killed under police operations. Emily Soriano, mother of a 16-year-old who was killed by last year's operations, said her son was not a drug user and demanded justice for his death.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella denied allegations that the police have been executing suspects and defended the crackdown on street-level drug users.
Duterte has expressed his support for the escalation of the killings this week and said on Thursday (August 17) he would pardon officers who killed drug offenders, and even promote them. Critics maintain that members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are executing suspects and say it is likely they have a hand in thousands of unsolved murders of drug users by mysterious vigilantes. The PNP and government reject that. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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