More than 6,200 people have been killed in the war on drugs during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year rule.
The “Tokhang” approach, where police visit homes of users and dealers and seek their surrender, while still existing, will “not be as intensive”, Gen Azurin said. Since the start of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s term, 46 drug suspects have been killed in 18,000 anti-drug operations that have resulted in 22,000 arrests and seizure of 9.7 billion pesos worth of narcotics, Gen Azurin said.
“The PNP wanted to minimise, as much as possible, the killings of people involved or engaged in drug activities,” he said. Despite Mr Marcos’ softer approach to addressing the drug menace, he has ruled out the Philippines rejoining the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutor plans to resume an investigation into Mr Duterte’s war on drugs, to the dismay of rights activists. - REUTERS