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Religious leaders censure Duterte's 'war on drugs'

Call for narcotics fight to be carried out through 'rule of law and respect for human rights'
Religious leaders censure Duterte's 'war on drugs'
Published: September 27, 2016 04:54 AM GMT
Updated: September 27, 2016 04:55 AM GMT

Religious leaders in the Philippines province of Pangasinan have joined forces to oppose the spate of summary killings that have occurred in the wake of President Rodrigo Duterte's "war on drugs."

Leaders from at least 17 churches and groups in the province said the extrajudicial killings must stop "and the voice of those who are in pain must be heard," reported CBCP News.

At least 3,800 people in the Philippines have so far been killed in the government's war against narcotics.

"The threat of criminality and violence must now give way to the ministry of mercy and compassion," read the statement from the group, which included the Catholic Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, the United Methodist Church, Iglesia Filipina Independiente and the Muslim community in Dagupan City.

"The nation must be purged from drug dealers yet the rule of law must prevail and human rights must at all times be respected," it said.

They also asked for people of faith in the province to say a daily peace prayer for the whole country at 9 p.m..

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