REPORT ON INVESTIGATED KILLINGS IN RELATION TO THE ANTI-ILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN In a number of cases, the victims’ profile does not have any linkage to illegal drug use or trade, but the perpetrators made it appear that the killings were committed due to the alleged involvement of the victims to the illegal drug trade, either by the placement of a placard or illegal drugs on the victims’ bodies.74 In 52 incidents where placards were found, written messages on these placards alleged that the victim was a pusher and conveyed a stern warning to others who are involved in the illegal drug trade. Examples of these messages are "WAG AKONG TULARAN, PUSHER AKO" (“DON’T BE LIKE ME, I’M A PUSHER”),75 “PUSHER AKO, AYAW KO SUNDOGA" (“I AM A PUSHER DON’T IMITATE ME”),76 and “PARA SA KINABUKASAN NG PILIPINAS AKOY NAMATAY SAPAGKAT AKOY DRUG PUSHER, MAGNANAKAW, CARNAPPER HIHAY!!!” (“FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES, I DIED BECAUSE I AM A DRUG PUSHER, THIEF, CARNAPPER!!!”).77 In these cases, the unidentified perpetrators appeared to have been instigated and used the government’s campaign against illegal drugs to pursue personal vengeance against the victims, or in other instances, have been used by the police authorities to drum up their achievements, in terms of their anti-drug operation, in effect misdirecting the investigation of the killings.78 b. Brutality and brazenness of the killings Most killings committed by unidentified perpetrators were characterized by the brutal and brazen way these killings were carried out. Though in the majority of cases of dead bodies discovered, the circumstances in how the victims were killed could not be ascertained. However, the injuries sustained by the victims – in most cases indicating an execution style of killing with most gunshot wounds located in the head and chest, and how their bodies were disposed—heads wrapped in packaging tape with their hands and/or feet bound together, illustrates the brutality in which these killings were carried out. In some cases, the victims also showed signs of torture. In cases where the killings were witnessed by other people, it can be characterized by the brazen way it was carried out by the perpetrators. In one incident,79 two victims who were included in the government’s drug watch list, decided to set up a barbecue stand business to show their sincerity in starting a new life. One late afternoon, while attending to their business with a common friend, two men riding in tandem on a motorcycle, stopped in front of their barbecue stand. The back rider, after alighting from the motorcycle, opened fire at the victims, killing one of the victims instantly. The other victim, wounded, managed to crawl into an open culvert to hide. But the gunman, while reloading his pistol, pursued the victim and opened fire into the culvert. The shooting 74 CHR CAR 2018-0184; CHR XI 2016-0311; CHR IV-A 2017-0438; 75 CHR IV-A 2018-0367 76 CHR XIII 2016-0134 77 CHR CAR 2019-0090 78 CHR I 2017-0571 79 CHR V 2018-0385 25