Authorities are probing a total of 16,355 "homicide cases," according to a year-end report released by Malacañang. Human rights advocates classified the deaths as “extrajudicial killings,” claiming that President Rodrigo Duterte's rhetoric has emboldened policemen to use shortcuts in the anti-drug crackdown. The definition served as the basis of the police in claiming that there are no cases of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. More than 1.3 million drug suspects have surrendered to authorities, the year-end report showed. Roque said he expects fewer allegations of human rights violations tied to the illegal drugs drug clampdown.

Source: Philippine Star December 26, 2017 10:07 UTC