A priest gestures as he welcomes National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde, his wife Cherry, police regional director Brig. Gen. Rafael Santiago Jr. and other officials to Camp Alagar’s newly renovated chapel yesterday morning. (photo by Joey Nacalaban)
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By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent .

NATIONAL Police Director General Oscar Albayalde yesterday downplayed again the number of Filipinos killed in the Duterte administration’s bloody “war on drugs,” saying those who died were only 2.6 percent of drug suspects caught by law enforcers since 2016.

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A priest gestures as he welcomes National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde, his wife Cherry, police regional director Brig. Gen. Rafael Santiago Jr. and other officials to Camp Alagar’s newly renovated chapel yesterday morning. (photo by Joey Nacalaban)

“Wala man lang itong three percent compared sa mga naaresto natin. So, if palagi nilang sinasabi na ang maraming namatay dahil sa police operations sa anti-illegal drug campaign, hindi po totoo yan,” Albayalde told reporters here yesterday.

But based on the police’s claims, the 2.6 percent means thousands of deaths or specifically, 6,600 people killed as a result of police operations.

Citing Camp Crame’s records, Albayalde said over 245 thousand drug suspects have been arrested as a result of the “war on drugs,” and 6,600 people were killed so far.

Albayalde also frowned over allegations that  extra-judicial killings marred the police crackdown on illegal drugs.

He claimed that even the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) have said there is no evidence that of “EJKs” in the government’s “war on drugs.”

Albayalde said the police operations were legitimate and in line with President Duterte’s order for law enforcers to crack down on illegal drugs.

He said Duterte prefers to see drug suspects arrested and brought to justice, except if they fought back.

“Ang sabi niya (Duterte) arestohin yaong mga suspect, kapag nanlaban di wala po tayong magagawa. It’s up to the decision of the raiding team or the arresting officer,” Albayalde said.

Because of the campaign, he said, the Philippines has been cited as the 24th most peaceful country next to the US.

“Nalampasan pa nga natin ang China, ika-26 sila,” he claimed.

Albayalde was here to grace the groundbreaking of a P1.5-million Day Care Center project at Camp Alagar, and to see the newly renovated St. Ignatuis de Loyola Chapel at Camp Alagar.

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