Philippines: “If you are poor, you are killed”: Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines’ “War on Drugs”
Since President Duterte took office in June 2016, there has been a campaign of violence against alleged drug offenders. More than 7,000 people have been killed, roughly one-third during formal police operations and the rest by unknown shooters. Based on 110 interviews and the documentation of 33 cases, this report shows that many drug-related killings are extrajudicial executions that directly implicate the police. The report also describes how the “war on drugs” has targeted the poor disproportionately. It reveals how at least some unknown shooters are assassins paid by police officers.
