Reuters report on 'Davao Boys' foul, Roque says
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday declined to comment on Reuters' "one-sided" story on the alleged "Davao Boys." Presidential Communications, File
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Wednesday cried foul on the Reuters report detailing the work of police officers from Davao to execute drug suspects in Manila.
Roque declined to give a comment on what he called as a "one-sided story" of Reuters released on December 19.
"That was a foul report. Reporter demanded our version within the hour at 11 a.m. yesterday," Roque lamented.
He recalled: "We said we couldn't because of our briefing. So that story did not get our side."
The Reuters report told the story of the "Davao Boys" who "operate as a unit" at the Quezon City Police District Station 6.
According to the news agency, eight police officers from Davao arrived in Manila on July 2016—just as President Rodrigo Duterte started his bloody campaign against illegal drugs.
QCPD 6 raked out as high as 108 killings in Quezon City, from July 2016 to June 2017.
Detained Sen. Leila de Lima in September launched a Senate inquiry into the "recent rampant extra-judicial killings and summary executions of suspected criminals."
De Lima presented to the Senate's justice panel Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed killer who testified that retired SPO3 Arthur Lascañas and other Davao City cops carried out the killings under the order of then-Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
According to the police, there are more than 6,000 drug-related deaths in the country, but human rights groups put the deaths at more than 13,000.
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