Three murders in one week: Philippine vice-mayor shot dead as killings continue

Gunmen killed a city vice mayor in the Philippines on Saturday, police said, less than a week after two mayors were shot dead in separate incidents, including one President Rodrigo Duterte said may have had links to illegal drugs.

The latest attack brought to 15 the number of mayors and vice mayors killed since Duterte unleashed his deadly anti-narcotics campaign when he came to power in 2016, according to CNN Philippines, citing a tally of its own research team.

Duterte has a watch list of local officials suspected to have links to illegal drug trade.

The daughter of one of the other victims this week said her father was not involved in drugs and police investigators said they had not received any information linking the other to the trade.

Police have killed more than 4,200 suspected drugs dealers and users since Duterte came to power. Several thousand more have been murdered by unknown gunmen, described by authorities as vigilantes or rival gang members.

Police have denied the allegations by rights groups and critics of the campaign that some of the killings were summary executions, saying they had to use force because the suspects, who were armed, had violently resisted arrest.