The death toll from the Philippines’ war on drugs initiated by new President Rodrigo Duterte has risen to nearly 1,800 in the seven weeks since he took office, far higher than originally believed, the country’s police chief revealed during a Senate hearing Monday.
Ronald dela Rosa, the head of the Philippine National Police, told a Senate committee that 712 people have been killed since Duterte was sworn in on June 30, Reuters reported. Another 1,067 drug-related killings, reportedly carried out by vigilantes, are being investigated.
Read next: This Is Why Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Will Get Away With Murder
The figure is higher than the 900 deaths previously cited by officials, which included those killed between Duterte’s election victory on May 9 and his assumption of the presidency. The 71-year-old was elected by a landslide on a campaign promise to eradicate drug crime. He has threatened to “butcher” criminals and called on the populace to kill drug dealers themselves.
Read next: Why the Philippines Elected ‘the Punisher’ as President
His words, and the actions they have inspired, have caused international human-rights advocates to condemn his no-holds-barred campaign against drugs. Duterte has responded by saying he doesn’t “care” about human rights, and has threatened to declare martial law and leave the U.N. if the world body interferes with his war on drugs.
[Reuters]
- The Case for Mediocrity
- How Russia Is Recruiting Cubans to Fight in Ukraine
- Paul Hollywood Answers All of Your Questions About The Great British Baking Show
- Meet the 2023 TIME100 Next: the Emerging Leaders Shaping the World
- Oprah and Arthur C. Brooks: How to Separate Work From Your Identity
- How Canada and India's Relationship Crumbled
- You Don’t Have to Like Wrestling to Love Netflix’s Excellent Wrestlers
- The Most Anticipated Books, Movies, TV, and Music of Fall 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
