MANILA, Philippines — Amid mounting criticisms over the spate of killings under his deadly drug war, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday maintained he has never encouraged extrajudicial killings and decried being “demonized” by his critics. Duterte gives contradicting answersBut on the same occasion, Duterte threatened anew to kill suspected drug personalities should they continue to get involved in narco-trafficking. The police said 3,850 have "died in police operations," suggesting these are drug suspects who engaged arresting officers in shootouts. Duterte last December drew flak after he indicated that he had given instructions to plant guns to show that drug suspects offered violent resistance. WATCH: Did Duterte encourage killing of drug suspects?

Source: Philippine Star October 25, 2017 11:03 UTC