Malacañang on Monday said the Philippines is a “dangerous” country for criminals, and assured the public that there will be no let up in the campaign against those “destroying the fabric of our society.”
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo made statement after US-based think tank Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) claimed that the Philippines was one of the most dangerous places in the world for civilians in the first half of 2019.
An analysis by the ACLED said that a “wave of targeted attacks” has resulted in the reported deaths of nearly 490 civilians, which were concentrated in Central Luzon and Calabarzon, since the start of the year.
According to ACLED, so-called “drug suspects” accounted for almost 75 percent of all reported fatalities (approximately 360 recorded killings) and that state forces have been the primary perpetrators of these attacks.
“I agree na mapanganib ang bansa sa mga kriminal, sa mga corrupt, sa mga kasama sa sindikato ng droga, talagang mapanganib,” Panelo said at a news conference.
“Kasi hindi naman hihinto ang ating mga law enforcement against criminals and drug lords, pushers who are destroying the fabric of our society. Talagang mapanganib dito. Kaya kung kayo ay mga kriminal, punta kayo sa bansa natin o mga miyembro ng sindikato, talagang mapanganib dito; it’s really dangerous.”
Last week, member-states of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) agreed to set up a preliminary investigation into the thousands of killings linked to the Philippines’ anti-narcotics campaign.
The resolution was adopted by a vote of 18 countries in favor, 14 against (including China), with 15 abstentions (including Japan) at the 47-member forum in Geneva, Switzerland.
Malacañang has already questioned the propriety and validity of the resolution which was not unanimously adopted.
The Palace also found the Iceland-led resolution an affront to the country’s sovereignty and designed to embarrass the Philippines before the international community.
RSJ, GMA News
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