Philippine police say crackdown to target more drug lords
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine national police chief warned Monday that law enforcers will be going after more drug lords following a raid that left 15 people dead, including a city mayor who was among politicians President Rodrigo Duterte had publicly linked to illegal drugs.
Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa said authorities are building up cases against more illegal drug operators included on Duterte’s list, warning that the police will enforce the law “without fear or favour.”
Officers were about to serve warrants early Sunday to Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. to search his houses for the suspected presence of unlicensed firearms when gunmen opened fire on the police, sparking clashes that killed the mayor and at least 14 other people, said Ozamiz police chief Jovie Espenido.
Espenido, who oversaw the simultaneous, post-midnight raids on Parojinog’s residence and three other houses, described the mayor as a “high-value target on illegal drugs.” Policemen were approaching the mayor’s house when his bodyguards opened fire and hit a police car and wounded an officer, sparking a firefight amid a power outage, he said.