section_path: Background/Philippine drug war
section_name: Philippine drug war
paragraph_text: Philippine drug war
  
  A day after the 2016 presidential election, presidential forerunner Duterte said, "I will be a dictator but only against forces of evil – criminality, drugs and corruption in government", and vowed that if he failed to fulfill his promise to end crime, corruption, and drugs within the first six months of his term, he would step down from the presidency. On July 1, the day after the inauguration of Duterte as president, the Philippine National Police (PNP) launched Project Double Barrel, marking the beginning of the Philippine drug war.
  
  From his presidential campaign to the end of his presidency, President Duterte made multiple remarks to kill criminals and drug syndicates. He has also given law enforcers "shoot-to-kill" orders for criminals and drug syndicates, further assuring their protection from prosecution and would go to jail for them.
  
  By the end of Duterte's term, the number of drug suspects killed since Duterte took office was officially tallied by the Philippine government as 6,252. Human rights groups, including the ICC, however, claim drug casualties reached as high as 12,000 to 30,000 and the killings reached their peak between 2016 and 2017.