International News

MANILA, Oct 14, (APP/AFP) – A Philippine judge dismissed a narcotics trafficking charge against an Australian man after ruling police made up evidence, court documents show, as concerns mount about new President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. A Canadian man who was arrested in the same police operation was jailed by a different judge for life, with authorities hailing his prosecution as a sign that the campaign is achieving swift results. The crackdown has led to more than 3,300 deaths since Duterte took office on June 30, leading to fears police are carrying out extrajudicial killings and breaking the law in other ways to follow the president’s orders of eliminating illegal drugs in society. The Australian, Damian Berg, was charged with drug trafficking after police alleged he was caught alongside Canadian Jeremy Eaton trying to sell ecstasy tablets on a Manila street in June. Berg insisted police had dragged him out of his hotel room, then brought him to the street where the tablets were placed on him and he was paraded before waiting journalists.