“Drug enforcers have also the right to defend themselves while in the performance of their duties, including use of appropriate amount of force to effect arrests of usually armed and drug-crazed suspects.”

Police operatives only use appropriate amount of force during anti-illegal drug operations to defend themselves from armed and drug-crazed personalities.

Senior Supt. Benigno Durana Jr., spokesman for the Philippine National Police (PNP), made the statement in reaction to call by 38 states for the government to stop drug-related killings in the country and cooperate with the United Nations probe on the matter.

Durana stressed there is no policy in the PNP to kill suspects.

“It was never the policy of the PNP to kill outright drug suspects in anti-illegal drugs operations for they too have the right to presumption of innocence and to due process under the law,” Durana said in a statement.

Durana, however, pointed out police operatives have also the right to defend themselves against resisting suspects.

“Drug enforcers have also the right to defend themselves while in the performance of their duties, including use of appropriate amount of force to effect arrests of usually armed and drug-crazed suspects,” he said.

The PNP spokesman said the policy of the PNP is to observe and protect human rights all the time, particularly during actual conduct of police operations.

“On the principle that we can be tougher on crimes, particularly illegal drugs, while upholding human rights and the rule of law,” Durana said.

The official added the PNP is ready to cooperate with any authorized body in any investigation –through the Office of the Solicitor General.

Only last Sunday, Senior Insp. Michael Angelo Tubania, chief of police of Mallig, Isabela, was killed in a shootout with illegal drug peddlers.

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte and PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde cited the heroism of Tubania.

Latest data showed 4,279 drug suspects have been killed while more than 140,000 others have been arrested 22 months since the anti-drug campaign was launched by the Duterte administration on July 1, 2016.

A total of 143,335 drug personalities were arrested in 99,485 anti-drug operations conducted from July 1, 2016 to May 15, 2018 while more than 1.3 million others surrendered.

Among those arrested were more than 500 government workers – composed of 241 government employees, 217 elected officials and 48 uniformed personnel.

The consolidated report of the drug war showed that 2,678.61 kilograms of shabu worth P14.34 billion have been seized. The total value of seized drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals and laboratory equipment was pegged at P20.77 billion.