WATCH | Vigilante group shows video of 'salvage' of drug suspects

From InterAksyon (Jul 7): WATCH | Vigilante group shows video of 'salvage' of drug suspects

In answer to President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to fight illegal drugs, a vigilante group calling itself the Socialist Party of the Philippines gave News5 a video showing the execution of five men -  three of whom it said were drug lords and two users in Central Luzon - in an undisclosed location.

The vigilante group claimed that they conducted lengthy surveillance on the suspects before arresting them. It added that it observed due process as the suspects were not immediately punished.

But the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it is investigating the incident.

Col. Restituto Padilla, spokesperson of the AFP, said any group which was not given by the government such mandate under the law is illegal and should not put the law into its own hands because it is not deputized to do so.

The Commission on Human Rights, in an interview on the program Aksyon Sa Tanghali, said it will await the investigation conducted by the Philippine National Police before it could determine whether human rights were violated in the incident.

President Duterte earlier called on the public to help arrest suspects involved in illegal drugs and offered a reward for the killing of drug lords.

Malacanang however stressed that due process should always be observed in all cases.

In another interview, Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison denied any connection with vigilante group.

Watch a News5 video report by Raffy Tulfo:

[Video report]

 http://interaksyon.com/article/130091/watch--vigilante-group-shows-video-of-salvage-of-drug-suspects