MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine police official says law enforcers have killed 13 drug suspects and arrested more than 100 suspected dealers and criminals in 24 hours of raids in a province with a record of bloody crackdowns.

Police Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat Jr. says the 13 drug suspects were killed Wednesday in gunbattles with police in a city and eight towns in Bulacan province just north of Manila. More than 70 raids were launched by the police in Bulacan that day, leading to the arrests of 109 people, including 92 suspected drug dealers and users.

The latest violence raises the death toll in President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug crackdown to 4,239 since it was launched in July 2016. The U.S. and European countries have expressed alarm over the drug killings. </s> Philippine police killed 13 suspected drug dealers and arrested more than 100 people in dozens of anti-narcotics operations on Wednesday in a province north of the capital, its police chief said.

More than 4,000 Filipinos have been killed by police, and thousands more by unidentified armed men, during President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial 20-month war on drugs. Most killings have been in rundown areas of Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan and Cavite.

Human rights groups and Duterte’s political opponents say executions of drug users and small-time peddlers are widespread, but police insist those killed were all dealers who put up violent resistance.

Police in Bulacan ran about 60 sting operations in nine towns, the police chief said on Thursday.

Bulacan is where 32 people were killed in a single day in August last year. Last month, an additional 10 drug suspects died in a bloody night of drug busts.

“These operations are part of our stepped-up campaign against drugs and all other forms of criminality in the province,” Bulacan police chief Romeo Caramat said in a statement. “Unfortunately, 13 of the suspects were killed when our officers fired in self-defence shortly after the suspects who were armed with concealed guns sensed they were being entrapped and started firing.”

More than 100 people were also arrested and 19 firearms and about 250 packets of suspected drugs were seized during the 24-hour operation, Caramat said.

Last month, a prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague opened a preliminary examination into a complaint accusing Duterte and at least 11 officials of crimes against humanity.

The Philippines last week notified the United Nations of its decision to withdraw from the ICC because of what Duterte called outrageous attacks by UN officials and violations of due process. </s> Thirty two suspected drug dealers were killed in police shootouts in the Philippines on Tuesday night, during the bloodiest 24 hours so far of a state war on drugs that has killed over 7,000 people in the last year.

The police conducted 49 “buy-bust” operations, using undercover officers to attempt to buy drugs from suspected dealers, and 14 raids, in the province of Bucalan, just north of the capital, Manila, said police superintendent Romeo Caramat.

Describing his forces’ actions as “one time, big time”, he said that 25 of these operations had “resulted in armed encounter” during which 32 were killed and 107 were arrested. Officers also confiscated over 200 grams of methamphetamine, 786g of marijuana, and firearms.

Mr Caramat told reporters that while the police tried to avoid casualties during their operations, that “we do not have control of the situation.” </s> Thirteen alleged drug traffickers were shot dead by the police in 24 hours in the Bulacan province in Philippines as part of President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.

The police killed 13 suspects and arrested another 109 during an intensive operation that lasted from Tuesday midnight to Thursday, according to a statement by the National Police in Bulacan, a province located north of Manila with a population of 2.2 million. </s> Manila: Thirteen alleged drug traffickers were shot dead by the police in 24 hours in Philippines’ Bulacan province as part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

The police killed 13 suspects and arrested another 109 during an intensive operation that lasted from Tuesday midnight to Thursday, according to a statement by the National Police in Bulacan province located north of Manila with a population of 2.2 million.

During the raid, the police also seized 101 grams of shabu — a hydrochloride of methamphetamine — the cheapest and most popular drug among the poor in the country, 670 grams of marijuana, 18 assorted firearms and 18 pieces of ammunition, Efe news reported.

The anti-drugs campaign, launched by Duterte after taking office in June 2016, has left over 4,000 people dead, according to latest official figures.

Bulacan province, among the worst affected by the anti-drug campaign, came into the spotlight in August last year after a record 32 drug suspects were killed in the region in a span of 24 hours.

In addition to the 4,000 people killed in police raids throughout the Philippines, it is estimated that at least another 3,000 people were killed by vigilante groups, especially in the first few months of the campaign, encouraged by an environment of impunity.

The campaign is backed by close to 90 per cent of Filipinos but has been strongly denounced by other countries and international organizations for rampant human rights abuses.

Duterte, however, has remained unfazed by the criticism and reiterated that the campaign will continue until drug-trafficking and crime is wiped out from the country. </s> MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Philippine officials say nine drug suspects have been killed and 117 others have been arrested in police-led raids in a central province, as the government pressed a massive crackdown that has left more than 4,800 suspects dead.

Regional police Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas says nine drug suspects were killed separately in gunbattles with law enforcers in dozens of coordinated raids from Wednesday to Thursday noon in central Cebu province. Nearly 1,000 packets of methamphetamine, a banned stimulant, and 78 firearms were seized in the raids.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said his war on drug will be "as relentless and chilling" as when he launched it after taking office in 2016 despite facing two complaints for mass murder before the International Criminal Court and criticism from Western governments and U.N. watchdogs. </s> MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine police, backed by troops, killed nine drug suspects and arrested more than 100 others in two days of raids that ended Thursday in a central province as the government pressed…

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine police, backed by troops, killed nine drug suspects and arrested more than 100 others in two days of raids that ended Thursday in a central province as the government pressed a massive crackdown that has left more than 4,800 suspects dead.

Regional police Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas said the nine suspects were killed separately in gunbattles with law enforcers in dozens of coordinated raids from Wednesday to Thursday noon in central Cebu province. Nearly 1,000 small plastic bags of methamphetamine, a banned stimulant, and 78 firearms were seized in the raids, he said.

“All nine suspects exchanged fire with my men after sensing they were dealing with undercover officers,” Sinas said of the slain suspects, adding that law enforcers carried out 48 “buy-bust operations” in which undercover police pretended to be drug buyers.

Police said 103 of the 117 suspects arrested in the raids in Cebu have been linked to illegal drugs. The law enforcers served more than 70 search warrants in houses of drug suspects and 11 other search warrants for people suspected of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, they said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said his war on drug will be “as relentless and chilling” as when he launched it after taking office in June 2016 despite facing two complaints for mass murder before the International Criminal Court and criticism from Western governments and U.N. watchdogs.

Human rights groups have cited much higher death tolls than the 4,854 suspects the government’s Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said were killed in clashes with police between July 2016 and Aug. 31 of this year. They say many suspects may have been killed in police rubouts in which they were made to appear to have fought back by placing guns in their hands.

Duterte and police officials have denied condoning extrajudicial killings in the crackdown, although the volatile leader has repeatedly threatened drug suspects with death. Since the crackdown began, more than 155,000 drug suspects have been arrested in more than 108,000 anti-drug operations, the government said.

Officials have cited the massive arrests to argue that many suspects have not died in police raids and that most of those who perished fought back and endangered officers. The deaths of mostly poor drug suspects are unprecedented in scale.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. </s> MANILA
• Philippine police have killed 32 people in dozens of anti-drug operations in a province north of Manila, in the single deadliest day of President Rodrigo Duterte's unrelenting war on drugs.

About 109 petty criminals, including street-level drug peddlers, were arrested and dozens of guns seized in police operations across Bulacan province from Monday night until Tuesday afternoon, said provincial police chief Romeo Caramat.

"We have conducted 'one-time, big-time' operations in the past; so far, the number of casualties and deaths - this is the highest," Mr Caramat told a news conference.

He defended the police action and said the deaths were during shootouts, and were not executions, as activists have often alleged. "There are some sectors that will not believe us, but we are open for any investigation.

"All we can say is that we don't have any control of the situation. As much as possible, we don't want this bloody encounter."

Thousands of people have been killed in the anti-drugs campaign, Mr Duterte's signature policy, since it was launched on June 30 last year, most of them users and small-time dealers from poor neighbourhoods.

The intensity of the crackdown has alarmed the international community, and activists and human rights groups say police have been executing suspects and planting drugs and guns at crime scenes. Philippine police and government officials reject that.

The police also deny involvement in thousands of murders by mysterious gunmen, blaming them on gang turf wars, drug dealers silencing informants, or vigilantes targeting drug users.

"There were 32 killed in Bulacan in a massive raid, that's good," Mr Duterte said in a speech. "Let's kill another 32 every day. Maybe we can reduce what ails this country."

Police conducted 49 sting drug operations in Bulacan that resulted in about 20 armed encounters, Mr Caramat said. Ten other gunfights ensued when police tried to serve arrest warrants on suspects who fought back.

He said 93 of those held were wanted for other crimes, as well as drug offences.

Bulacan has been a major target in the drugs war, with some 425 people killed and 4,000 offenders arrested, according to Mr Caramat, making it the second-biggest hot spot in the crackdown outside of the Manila area.

Political opponents of Mr Duterte have filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing him and top aides of crimes against humanity, arguing they failed to address allegations of widespread police abuses that have been brought to their attention.

Mr Duterte has welcomed the ICC complaint, and said he was willing to rot in jail to protect Filipinos. </s> Philippine police killed 32 people in dozens of anti-drug operations in a province north of the capital of Manila in the single deadliest day of President Rodrigo Duterte's unrelenting war on drugs.

About 109 petty criminals, including street-level drug peddlers, were arrested and dozens of guns seized in police operations across Bulacan province from Monday night until Tuesday afternoon, said provincial police Chief Romeo Caramat.

"We have conducted 'onetime, big-time' operations in the past, so far, the number of casualties and deaths, this is the highest," Caramat told a news conference.

He defended police action and said the deaths were during shootouts, not executions as activists have often alleged.

"There are some sectors that will not believe us, but, we are open for any investigation. All we can say is that we don't have any control of the situation. As much as possible, we don't want this bloody encounter."
• CBC IN MANILA l Jailed senator De Lima 'won't be quiet' about Duterte

Thousands of people have been killed in the anti-drugs campaign, Duterte's signature policy, since it was launched on June 30 last year. Most were users and small-time dealers from poor neighbourhoods.

The intensity of the crackdown has alarmed the international community, and activists and human rights groups say police have been executing suspects and planting drugs and guns at crime scenes.

Police and the government officials reject that. Police also deny involvement in thousands of murders by mysterious gunmen, blaming them on gang turf wars, drug dealers silencing informants, or vigilantes targeting drug users.

"There were 32 killed in Bulacan in a massive raid, that's good," Duterte said in a speech. "Let's kill another 32 every day. Maybe we can reduce what ails this country."

Police conducted 49 sting drug operations in Bulacan that resulted in about 20 armed encounters, Caramat said. Ten other gunfights ensued when police tried to serve arrest warrants to suspects who fought back. He said 93 of those held were wanted for other crimes, as well as drugs offences.

Bulacan has been a major target in the drugs war, with some 425 people killed and 4,000 offenders arrested, according to Caramat, making it the second-biggest hot spot in the crackdown outside of the Manila area.

Political opponents of Duterte have filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing the president and top aides of crimes against humanity, arguing they failed to address allegations of widespread police abuses that have been brought to their attention.

Duterte has welcomed the ICC complaint, and said he was willing to rot in jail to protect Filipinos.

He has often complained about human rights groups criticizing and undermining his campaign and on Wednesday said he would instead investigate them, or worse.

"If they are obstructing justice, shoot them," he said.
At least 25 people are killed and 48 are arrested by the Philippine National Police Manila Police District in consecutive anti-drug operations in Manila within 24 hours.