The Philippines' police chief stepped down on Monday less than a month before his retirement after he was accused of involvement in "recycling" confiscated drugs, an allegation that could undermine the government's anti-narcotics campaign.

President Rodrigo Duterte has made a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-war-on-drugs-and-crime-intensifies-at-least-58-killed-this-week-19125"> bloody war on drugs</a> his signature campaign, to the approval of most voters, despite international outrage about the bloodshed amid fears many suspected dealers have been killed by police in staged encounters and by death squads.

Duterte has rejected the accusations.

In testimony that has raised questions about the government's campaign, witnesses in Senate inquiries have accused police chief Oscar Albayalde of protecting officers who sold confiscated narcotics back onto the black market.

Albayalde denied the accusations and had ruled out resigning.

On Monday, he referred to the hearing and the fact he was being implicated in the scandal and said he was stepping down to make way for a new police chief.

"After careful thought and deliberation, I have come to the decision to relinquish my post as chief of the Philippine National Police," Albayalde said in the speech to police officers.

Albayalde, the second chief of the 191,000-strong force under Duterte, was the head of the Pampanga provincial police when 13 of its officers were accused of stealing about 160 kg&nbsp;of narcotics seized in a 2013 raid.

Albayalde had sought to prevent the dismissal of the 13, Senate witnesses said.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told ANC news channel that perhaps Albayalde was stepping down because he had had enough of the "the accusations, the innuendos".

"He wants to spare the entire organisation from whatever speculations, bad or false about him and the organisation," Panelo said.

Albayalde was set to retire on Nov. 8.

The police are spearheading the anti-drugs campaign. They say they have killed more than 6,700 suspected drug dealers who resisted arrest, and deny involvement in the mysterious killing of thousands more suspected drug users.

But Duterte has at times criticised the force, once deriding it as "rotten to the core" and twice suspending anti-narcotics operations until the police cleaned up the force.

The thousands of killings, mostly of poor urban people, have alarmed rights groups. The 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council in July approved a resolution to investigate the crackdown.

Duterte condemned the proposed investigation.

The Philippines' police chief stepped down on Monday less than a month before his retirement after he was accused of involvement in "recycling" confiscated drugs, an allegation that could undermine the government's anti-narcotics campaign.

The Philippines' police chief stepped down on Monday less than a month before his retirement after he was accused of involvement in "recycling" confiscated drugs, an allegation that could undermine the government's anti-narcotics campaign. President Rodrigo Duterte has made a bloody war on drugs his signature campaign, to the approval of most voters, despite international outrage about the bloodshed amid fears many suspected dealers have been killed by police in staged encounters and by death squads. Duterte has rejected the accusations. In testimony that has raised questions about the government's campaign, witnesses in Senate inquiries have accused police chief Oscar Albayalde of protecting officers who sold confiscated narcotics back onto the black market. Albayalde denied the accusations and had ruled out resigning. On Monday, he referred to the hearing and the fact he was being implicated in the scandal and said he was stepping down to make way for a new police chief. "After careful thought and deliberation, I have come to the decision to relinquish my post as chief of the Philippine National Police," Albayalde said in the speech to police officers. Albayalde, the second chief of the 191,000-strong force under Duterte, was the head of the Pampanga provincial police when 13 of its officers were accused of stealing about 160 kg of narcotics seized in a 2013 raid. Albayalde had sought to prevent the dismissal of the 13, Senate witnesses said. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told ANC news channel that perhaps Albayalde was stepping down because he had had enough of the "the accusations, the innuendos". "He wants to spare the entire organisation from whatever speculations, bad or false about him and the organisation," Panelo said. Albayalde was set to retire on Nov. 8. The police are spearheading the anti-drugs campaign. They say they have killed more than 6,700 suspected drug dealers who resisted arrest, and deny involvement in the mysterious killing of thousands more suspected drug users. But Duterte has at times criticised the force, once deriding it as "rotten to the core" and twice suspending anti-narcotics operations until the police cleaned up the force. The thousands of killings, mostly of poor urban people, have alarmed rights groups. The 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council in July approved a resolution to investigate the crackdown. Duterte condemned the proposed investigation.

Top Philippine cop resigns after accusation of link to drug scandal

Philippine police killed 11 suspected drug dealers during operations at the weekend, police said today, adding to a surge of drugs-related killings since Rodrigo Duterte swept an election last month on promises to wipe out crime. 
 
Duterte&#39;s single-issue campaign of tackling illegal drugs and other crime within six months, and his staunch advocacy of extrajudicial killings, struck a chord with Filipino voters. However, rights groups have rebuked him over concerns that, as President, he would live up to his nickname of &quot;The Punisher&quot;. 
 
More than 40 drug suspects have been killed since Duterte&#39;s May 9 election victory compared to the 39 deaths recorded in the four months before it, said national police spokesman Wilben Mayor. 
 
Duterte takes office on June 30 and has repeatedly reassured police they would have his full support if they killed criminals who resisted with violence. He has also warned that police found to be involved in the drug trade would suffer the same fate. 
 
Speculation has been rife in Manila that some of the police involved in the drugs business were clearing the decks before Duterte takes office by eliminating criminals who could implicate them. 
 
However, incoming national police chief Ronald dela Rosa said drug peddlers were killed in legitimate operations. 
 
&quot;I would know if these people were killed in rub-outs,&quot; he said in a radio interview. 
 
Philippines media reported today that drug dealers were killed when they resisted arrest during operations in Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Rizal, Bohol, and Cebu at the weekend. 
 
Police said many of those killed in the raids and undercover stings had chosen not to go quietly. 
 
&quot;Our undercover agents killed two known drug peddlers in sting operations,&quot; Adriano Enong, police chief in Rizal province just to the east of Manila, told reporters. 
 
&quot;There was a shootout between undercover police officers and drug peddlers when the men sensed they had sold 500 Pesos ($10.80) worth of drugs to policemen,&quot; he said. 
 
Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gave special prayers on Sunday urging incoming state officials to avoid a culture of death and reprisal. The prayers will be read each day before the new government takes office in the deeply religious, predominantly Catholic Philippines. 
 
Catholic bishops have been disturbed by statements attributed to Duterte warning of killings, and by his plan to seek the return of the death penalty by hanging. 
 
Duterte has also said some journalists were killed because they were corrupt. 
 
In southern Davao City, where Duterte was mayor for more than 20 years, rights groups documented a total of 1,400 unsolved murders from 1998, most of them petty criminals and street-level drug peddlers. Duterte denies any involvement. 
(Reuters)

More than 40 drug suspects have been killed since Rodrigo Duterte swept the presidential election last month

Philippine police killed 11 suspected drug dealers during operations at the weekend, police said today, adding to a surge of drugs-related killings since Rodrigo Duterte swept an election last month on promises to wipe out crime. Duterte's single-issue campaign of tackling illegal drugs and other crime within six months, and his staunch advocacy of extrajudicial killings, struck a chord with Filipino voters. However, rights groups have rebuked him over concerns that, as President, he would live up to his nickname of "The Punisher". More than 40 drug suspects have been killed since Duterte's May 9 election victory compared to the 39 deaths recorded in the four months before it, said national police spokesman Wilben Mayor. Duterte takes office on June 30 and has repeatedly reassured police they would have his full support if they killed criminals who resisted with violence. He has also warned that police found to be involved in the drug trade would suffer the same fate. Speculation has been rife in Manila that some of the police involved in the drugs business were clearing the decks before Duterte takes office by eliminating criminals who could implicate them. However, incoming national police chief Ronald dela Rosa said drug peddlers were killed in legitimate operations. "I would know if these people were killed in rub-outs," he said in a radio interview. Philippines media reported today that drug dealers were killed when they resisted arrest during operations in Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Rizal, Bohol, and Cebu at the weekend. Police said many of those killed in the raids and undercover stings had chosen not to go quietly. "Our undercover agents killed two known drug peddlers in sting operations," Adriano Enong, police chief in Rizal province just to the east of Manila, told reporters. "There was a shootout between undercover police officers and drug peddlers when the men sensed they had sold 500 Pesos ($10.80) worth of drugs to policemen," he said. Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gave special prayers on Sunday urging incoming state officials to avoid a culture of death and reprisal. The prayers will be read each day before the new government takes office in the deeply religious, predominantly Catholic Philippines. Catholic bishops have been disturbed by statements attributed to Duterte warning of killings, and by his plan to seek the return of the death penalty by hanging. Duterte has also said some journalists were killed because they were corrupt. In southern Davao City, where Duterte was mayor for more than 20 years, rights groups documented a total of 1,400 unsolved murders from 1998, most of them petty criminals and street-level drug peddlers. Duterte denies any involvement. (Reuters)

Philippine police kill 11 suspected drug dealers

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Top Philippine cop resigns after accusation of link to drug scandal

Philippine police kill 11 suspected drug dealers