Police shot dead six supporters of a Philippine mayor Wednesday, authorities said, days after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to have him "shot on sight" for protecting his drug-dealing son.
Hundreds of people have died since Duterte took power after winning a landslide election on the pledge to wipe out lawlessness by killing tens of thousands of criminals.
A gunfight broke out between law enforcement and supporters of mayor Rolando Espinosa at dawn on Wednesday in his central hometown of Albuera, local police said.
Six gunmen were killed while police recovered 17 guns and several grenades, they said.
On Monday, Duterte gave the mayor and his son 24 hours to surrender after two of the mayor's bodyguards and three other employees were arrested in a police anti-drug operation.
"Otherwise, an order of 'shoot on sight' will be given if they resist and endanger the lives of arresting police officers," presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said on television.
Espinosa surrendered to police on Tuesday, saying he feared for his safety after the president threatened reprisals for allegedly coddling his drug-dealing son.
The mayor "surrendered to me... (following) orders of the president for him to be shot on sight if he resists," national police chief Ronald de la Rosa said.
Police claim to have killed more than 400 suspected drug dealers since Duterte was elected, but rights groups fear the total could be far higher as vigilantes have joined the spree.
The rising body count has shocked the world, and hundreds of anti-narcotics and human rights groups on Tuesday called for the UN to condemn Duterte's policy.
De la Rosa said Espinosa had been listed in police records as a "drug protector" whose son controlled the narcotics trade in the Albuera region.
"If you're listening now Kerwin, your father has already surrendered so you should follow your father," de la Rosa said in a bizarre, live news conference with Espinosa.
"If you don't surrender you will die so better surrender because your life is really in danger."
The mayor was the second high-profile drug suspect to turn himself in after being accused of drugs-related crimes by Duterte.
Last month, in a meeting also aired on national television, the president told a businessman he would "finish you off" unless he stopped dealing in drugs. The businessman denied the allegations.
Police said more than 100,000 other people have also surrendered to the local authorities and pledged to stop using illegal drugs.
AFP
Wed Aug 03 2016
On Monday, Duterte gave the mayor and his son 24 hours to surrender.
Chegubard didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen KL esok - Peguam
Badrul Hisham Shaharin atau dikenali Chegubard akan didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur esok atas pertuduhan memfitnah dan menghasut.
Pulau Pinang, kerajaan pusat bekerjasama tarik pelaburan semikonduktor
Kerajaan Pulau Pinang akan bekerjasama dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk meneruskan usaha menarik pelaburan dalam sektor semikonduktor, termasuk segmen reka bentuk litar bersepadu (IC) di negeri itu.
Rakyat Malaysia di Jordan jadi duta produk PMKS negara
Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi Datuk Ewon Benedick menyarankan rakyat Malaysia yang menetap di Jordan supaya memainkan peranan sebagai “duta” untuk mempromosikan produk perusahaan mikro kecil dan sederhana (PMKS) SERTA koperasi negara.
Mohamed Khaled tiba di Indonesia, dijadual bertemu Prabowo
Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin tiba di Jakarta hari ini untuk lawatan kerja rasmi sulung beliau ke Indonesia sejak memegang jawatan itu.
SPRM mohon maklumat dari Jerman
Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) memohon maklumat terkini daripada pihak berkuasa Jerman mengenai dana bon 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) yang dipercayai digunakan untuk membeli kereta mewah di negara itu pada 26 Okt 2022.
SPRM siasat pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air
Seorang pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air disiasat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) kerana disyaki melantik beberapa syarikat yang mempunyai kepentingan dengannya membabitkan beberapa projek pembekalan melibatkan peruntukan kira-kira RM300,000.
Kembangkan kandungan tempatan melalui AI
Menurut Setiausaha Agung Organisasi Kerjasama Digital (DCO) Deemah Al Yahya, terdapat 2.7 peratus daripada penduduk dunia tidak berhubung malah tidak mempunyai sambungan asas internet. Beliau turut berkata infrastruktur pengkomputeran setiap negara perlu mempunyai kemampuan untuk mengembangkan kandungan tempatan khususnya yang melibatkan penggunaan AI.
AI tidak dapat ganti guru
Menteri Pendidikan Rwanda, Gaspard Twagirayezu berkata kepesatan teknologi AI dalam pendidikan tidak dapat menggantikan guru malah membantu guru dalam menyediakan bahan pengajaran yang bermanfaat kepada pelajar.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 28 April 2024.
Mesyuarat Khas WEF: Dunia perlukan persaingan sihat dalam transisi ke Orde Baharu - Menteri Luar Arab Saudi
Menteri Luar Negeri Arab Saudi, Putera Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud berkata dunia memerlukan persaingan sihat dalam transisi daripada Orde Dunia Lama kepada Orde Baharu. Jelasnya, persaingan ini akan memberi manfaat dalam bentuk kos pengeluaran lebih rendah, perkembangan inovasi dan pelaburan lebih baik. #MesyuaratKhasWEF #WEF