The two-night surge in killings is the most lethal yet in President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial war on drugs.
ADVERTISEMENTFifty-eight people have been killed in the Philippines over two nights.
On Tuesday, 26 died in the capital Manila, following a death toll of 32 in Bulacan province the day before.
Police say all the victims were criminals involved in narcotics: many of them were shot during the course of “buy-bust” operations carried out by undercover officers.
War on drugs
The deaths mark a lethal spike in the number of dead as a result of President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs.
Even so, it is estimated that over 3,400 have been killed since the campaign’s inception.
[News5] Judy Taguiwalo: ‘Saddened’ by killings, but ‘no regrets’ joining Duterte government https://t.co/ctoxjbuWgo
— PHL News Online (@PHLNewsOnline) August 17, 2017
Speaking in the wake of the most recent crackdown, Duterte expressed his approval, adding “let’s kill another 32 every day. Maybe we can reduce what ails this country”. In July he had expressed his intention to keep up the deadly assault on suspected dealers.