Police confirmed that since the start of the Duterte administration, 47 drug personalities were killed, according to police community relations officer Senior Police Officer 4 Quinciano Lopena.

Lopena pointed of the 47, 23 armed drug personalities were killed during police operationsand some 24 deaths are still under investigation by police authorities since July 1 to November 16.

Earlier, Psupt Nicomedes Olaivar, at the Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) said most of those killed (not during police operations) were those involved in the drug trade who have business rivalries as majority of them failed to remit their payments of their collections in the drug operations here.

Speaking at the “Kapihan sa PIA”, SPO4 Lopena stressed that while the police exercise restraint in neutralizing drug personalities, they too must protect themselves at all times.

In August, about nine policemen and three military officers were killed during drug operations, reports from the PNP Camp Crame showed.

Since October 26 when Double Barrel ended and Oplan Double Barrel Alpha commenced, Bohol authorities accounted another 497 surrenderees, 15 pushers, 481 users.

In police operations, 19 have been arrested and only one killed, he said.

“The police mandate is to serve and protect. We do not kill,” Lopena stressed.

Since President Rodrigo Duterte started the country’s anti-drug campaign with the police launching Oplan Double Barrel July 1, until its closing October 26, Bohol police accounted for 32,344 drug personalities.     From October 27, Oplan Double Barrel Alpha, November 16, PNP Community Relations Officer Lopena of Camp Dagohoy said they have accounted for 651 drug personalities.