Reuters' 'Davao Boys' report 'very bad journalism,' Palace says

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday branded as “very bad journalism” international news agency Reuters’ report detailing how cops from Davao City were allegedly executing drug suspects in Manila as part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs.

Reuters on December 19 published the story of the "Davao Boys" who "operate as a unit" at the Quezon City Police District Station 6, which the report described as the “most lethal police station.”

Sought for comment, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the palace would not react to “bad journalism” as he claimed that Reuters published the story without knowing the government’s side.

The Palace spokesman also admitted he has not read the Reuters report yet.

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Roque said he failed to respond to a request for comment by a female journalist from Reuters after the reporter gave him a “deadline” to answer the questions when he was about to give his regular Palace press conference.

“I do not know because she did not give us the opportunity to speak and it was really rather arrogant,” Roque said.

“So as far as I’m concerned, that’s very bad journalism. I will formally write to Reuters. As an advocate of press freedom, I thought that was really foul,” he added.

READ: Palace 'authenticating' video in Reuters report on drug war

Reuters’ December 19 report, which spent four months examining killings by Davao boys, was by-lined by award-winning journalist Clare Baldwin and Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew R.C. Marshall.

Duterte, who easily won the race to Malacañang last year on a brutal law-and-order platform, has stoked international alarm over his administration's anti-drug campaign.

Human rights watchdogs said most of fatalities in the crackdown were extrajudicial killings committed by cops—a claim that the government had vehemently denied by insisting that cops were only killing in self-defense.

On November 27, Reuters released an investigative report with video footage showing an alleged drug operation carried out by members of the Manila police in Barangay 19 in Manila.

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The cops, some in plain clothes, were seen wearing protective vests and holding firearms. After clearing the alley, they were seen shooting at Rolando Campo, an alleged drug peddler.

An officer was also seen turning the camera that captured the action away from the scene after the shooting.

In response, Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa accused Reuters of wanting the police force to “look bad.”

READ: NUJP: Dela Rosa reacting without reading Reuters report