Philippines halts war on drugs to “clean up” corrupt police
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a suspension of his controversial anti-drugs campaign and promised to clean up the police force in the wake of a scandal over the murder of a South Korean businessman by officers he claimed to be “corrupt to the core”.
Duterte, in a break from his steadfast support for the police, estimated that 40 per cent of police were corrupt and “as lousy as drug lords,” responding angrily on January 29 to the kidnap and killing of the South Korean by drug squad officers.
Jee Ick-joo was kidnapped from his home in Angeles City north of Manila by a group including several police officers under the pretense of a drug raid. He was arrested for drug offenses that his wife and lawyers said was an official cover for kidnap for ransom.
After strangling him, his killers pretended he was still alive to collect a ransom from his family. His body was later found on the grounds of the headquarters of the Philippine National Police in the military base of Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Duterte said the killing of Jee had “embarrassed” him.
“This killing [of] a Korean… they could have killed, strangled him everywhere, anywhere but they say it had to happen inside the Camp Crame, it is really bad, we admit that. Something has to be corrected severely,” Duterte noted.
“Because of this sordid incident, let me reorganise the system. My enemies here are the police who are criminals,” he added.
The president, however, said that he hoped “operations” (war on drugs) could resume within a month. He made it clear that what was meant to last only six months would continue until his presidency ends in 2022.
More than 7,000 people have been killed in Duterte’s anti-drug drive, about 2,250 during police operations. The remainder are being investigated.
[caption id="attachment_29453" align="alignleft" width="300"] Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and National Police chief Ronald Dela Rosa[/caption] Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a suspension of his controversial anti-drugs campaign and promised to clean up the police force in the wake of a scandal over the murder of a South Korean businessman by officers he claimed to be "corrupt to the core". Duterte, in a break from his steadfast support for the police, estimated that 40 per cent of police were corrupt and "as lousy as drug lords," responding angrily on January 29 to the kidnap and killing of the South Korean by...
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a suspension of his controversial anti-drugs campaign and promised to clean up the police force in the wake of a scandal over the murder of a South Korean businessman by officers he claimed to be “corrupt to the core”.
Duterte, in a break from his steadfast support for the police, estimated that 40 per cent of police were corrupt and “as lousy as drug lords,” responding angrily on January 29 to the kidnap and killing of the South Korean by drug squad officers.
Jee Ick-joo was kidnapped from his home in Angeles City north of Manila by a group including several police officers under the pretense of a drug raid. He was arrested for drug offenses that his wife and lawyers said was an official cover for kidnap for ransom.
After strangling him, his killers pretended he was still alive to collect a ransom from his family. His body was later found on the grounds of the headquarters of the Philippine National Police in the military base of Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Duterte said the killing of Jee had “embarrassed” him.
“This killing [of] a Korean… they could have killed, strangled him everywhere, anywhere but they say it had to happen inside the Camp Crame, it is really bad, we admit that. Something has to be corrected severely,” Duterte noted.
“Because of this sordid incident, let me reorganise the system. My enemies here are the police who are criminals,” he added.
The president, however, said that he hoped “operations” (war on drugs) could resume within a month. He made it clear that what was meant to last only six months would continue until his presidency ends in 2022.
More than 7,000 people have been killed in Duterte’s anti-drug drive, about 2,250 during police operations. The remainder are being investigated.
