3 Philippine Police Officers Found Guilty of Murder in 'Drug War' Incident

Drug enforcement efforts in the Philippines under the direction of President Rodrigo Duterte—who took office in June 2016—have been particularly violent, with President Duterte even urging members of the public to kill suspected criminals and drug addicts.

November 30, 2018

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Three officers with the Philippine police have been found guilty of murdering a teenager during a drug sweep.

Judge Roldolfo Azucena said on Thursday the murder of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos was "not a function of law enforcement" and sentenced each officer to 40 years in prison.

Surveillance video had shown the three officers dragging the teenager into an alley minutes before he was found dead with two gunshot wounds to the head.

Drug enforcement efforts in the Philippines under the direction of President Rodrigo Duterte—who took office in June 2016—have been particularly violent, with President Duterte even urging members of the public to kill suspected criminals and drug addicts.

According to NPR, such extrajudicial killings carried out by police officials and vigilantes alike have left at least 12,000 people dead.

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