Palace cries foul over Reuters’ “one-sided” report on “Davao Boys”

(Eagle News) — The Palace on Wednesday cried foul over what it said was Reuters “one-sided” report on the so-called “Davao Boys.”

According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Reuters did not wait for the government’s side before publishing the report on a supposed group of police officers from Davao City  tasked to carry out deadly anti-drug operations.

“Reporter demanded our version within the hour at 11 a.m. yesterday (December 19). We said we couldn’t because of our briefing. So that story did not get our side. No comment to one-sided story,” Roque said.

“That was a foul report,” Roque added.

According to the Reuters report published on December 19, around eight members of the “Davao Boys” who were transferred to the Quezon City Police District Station 6 were behind “dozens of kills” in line with the government’s drug war.

Reuters said the police described them as “legitimate drug busts, but relatives, human rights monitors and lawyers say (they) were often executions.”

The report said the Philippine National Police and the Palace “had not replied” to their queries.