VIGILANTE KILLINGS ON THE RISE ANEW IN DAVAO CITY

DAVAO CITY -- Three suspected drug pushers have been "salvaged"
(summarily executed) in the past five days in what certain quarters
fear could be a new wave of vigilante killings in the city.

The bodies of the three victims were found last Sunday, Monday and the
other night, the last being in Barangay Ma-a.

All three victims were said to be involved in the illegal drug trade
and were listed in the "order of battle" of the city police
anti-narcotics department.

The extra-judicial killings, blamed on the so-called Davao Death
Squad, have claimed the lives of over a hundred people since last year.

Most of the victims were gunned down at close range by
motorcycle-riding men. The killings have remained unsolved.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly denied any hand in the
"salvagings" although he admitted that the city has become a dangerous
place for criminals.

Despite his denial, Duterte said he was accepting full responsibility
for the failure of the police to solve the slayings.

"I only accept responsibility for the police not having been able to
solve the killings, but I did not say I am behind the killings which
is an entirely different matter," he said.

Duterte said the Davao Death Squad (DDS) is only a "myth" to
God-fearing and law-abiding city residents, but for criminals, a
reality that instills fear among them.

"There is no DDS in Davao, it was only created by the media," he
said.

Duterte added that the killings neither involved politics nor
ideology. "There is no such kind of killings here, only those
involving criminals," he said.

The mayor said he could not understand how people could attribute the
stable peace and order situation here to his leadership but, at the
same time, point an accusing finger at him for the summary executions.

"I don't take credit for the stable peace and order situation in the
city. It is a product of the vigilance of every citizen as well as the
police and military personnel who perform their tasks well," he said.

Militant groups have threatened to withdraw their support for Duterte
who is seeking re-election in the May 10 polls, due to the killings.

But Duterte is unfazed by such threats. "I don't care if they withdraw
their support. It is up to them," he said.