UN official calls on Philippines to give up targeting street sellers in its war on drugs, as more Filipinos seek asylum in Hong Kong
United Nations calls on Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to tackle problem at source by focusing on major organised crime and trafficking groups
A top United Nations drugs official has called on the Philippines to shift the focus of its war on drugs, as figures show the number from the country applying for asylum in Hong Kong almost doubled in the third quarter of this year.
According to figures provided by the Immigration Department, the number of Filipinos filing protection claims increased from 43 between January and March to 84 from July to September.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared a war on drugs when he took office on June 30, and the country has seen more than 4,900 deaths since that time involving both official police operations and extrajudicial killings, according to the Philippine National Police.
Jeremy Douglas, regional representative for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said the anti-drugs campaign in the Philippines should shift its focus from low-level street sellers to tackling the problem at its source.
“We recommend focusing on the major organised crime and trafficking groups running the business, coupled with a strong focus on reducing demand through prevention, treatment in communities and health programmes. Neither easy, but very necessary,” he said.
