Drug dealers shot dead on the streets of the Philippines as president dubbed 'The Punisher' continues his war on drugs - with 300 gunned down this month alone

dailymail.co.uk

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's war on illegal drugs has already killed almost 300 people since the start of July and the death toll is set to rise.

In his first state of the nation address to parliament Mr Duterte, dubbed 'The Punisher', ignored the outrage over the continuing death count, declaring that drugs were drowning his country' and had to be stopped at all costs.

'Double your efforts. Triple them if need be,' Mr Duterte told police.

'We will not stop until the last drug lord, the last financier and the last pusher have surrendered or been put behind bars ... or below ground if you wish,' he said.

Human rights groups obtained police figures that showed Mr Duterte's violent crackdown has claimed the lives of 293 suspected users and pushers in police operations between July 1 and July 24.

This figure does not include drug dealers killed by vigilante groups and those working outside the law.