Killed Drug Suspects Worth P5,000 said Amnesty International

AI report on President Duterte's drug war

According to Amnesty International, police personnel involved in anti-drug operations were being paid for every drug suspect killed. This report was one of the findings of the London-based human rights watchdog. AI also alleged that most of the killings done by the authorities or suspected vigilantes is systematic, planned, and organized. Since the order came from the top authorities, these drug-related killings can be considered as crime against humanity.

AI conducted their own investigation to unearth the truth about the spate of killings around the country. A lot of the cases are considered extra judicial killings. Most of the victims are poor people and they are targeted because they are suspected drug users or sellers. According to Tirana Hassan, AI's crisis response director, the national police are breaking laws they are supposed to uphold while profiting from the murder of impoverished people. This accusation was backed by their own investigation conducted in November to December 2016. They interviewed at least 110 people including families of victims and witnesses.

Police Paid to Kill Drug Suspects

The most controversial finding of the group is the alleged pay out to police officers for each encounter with drug suspects. An active anti-narcotics police officer who was interviewed by the group revealed that they are not paid for arrests but given incentives for killing drug suspects. The amount ranges from P8,000 to P15,000. The officer said that they are paid in cash secretly by the headquarters. Some local government units in Metro Manila are also providing incentives for every killed drug suspect.

Two hired-killers interviewed by the AI also revealed that a police officer pays them P5,000 for every killed drug user and paid higher if the job is to kill a pusher, which is between P10,000 to P15,000.

Some police officers also get incentives from funeral homes where they bring killed drug suspects. Some get as much as P10,000 per cadaver since they bring them to expensive funeral homes.

In most occasions, drugs and weapons are planted to link the suspects in the drug trade.

AI Must Testify on the Pay-for-Kill Claim 

Meanwhile, Senator Chiz Escudero said in a recent interview that he wants Amnesty International to testify in a Senate inquiry about the alleged pay-for-kill scheme in the PNP. The allegation that the PNP paid its personnel and assassins is a serious issue.

As of January 2017, there are already more than 7,000 casualties on the war on drugs by President Duterte. Critics say that most of these were done in EJK style.