Police kill 11 SUSPECTED drug dealers in The Philippines days after its president declared he would ‘give people who shot criminals a medal’

11 suspected drug dealers have been killed by Philippine police during operations at the week, police said today.

The killings are part of a tough new crack down on crime and drug offences since Rodrigo Duterte was elected President of The Philippines last month.

Duterte’s promise to tackle crime within six months struck a chord with Filipino voters and let to his landslide victory, despite concerns from human rights groups on his staunch advocacy of extrajudicial killings, and his nickname "The Punisher."

Philippines media reported today that drug dealers were killed in Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Rizal, Bohol and Cebu when they resisted arrest over the weekend/

“They are notorious here and were tipped to us by their companions, so we wanted to apprehend them and put a stop to whatever they're doing, especially since there's a lot of children nearby who are still awake," said Cerafin Petella, an investigator from the Laguna provincial police.

Since Duterte’s victory on 9 May more than 40 drug suspects have been killed, compared to the 39 deaths in the four months before it.

The incumbent president has said he will also impose late-night bans on children walking in the street, alcohol sales and karaoke in a bid to curb crime in the capital.

Police in Manila have begun their own night-time curfew in recent weeks that has seen hundred detained.

They have called it "Operation Rody", an acronym for "Rid the Streets of Drinkers and the Youth" and also a moniker of the incoming president.

Adults caught drinking outdoors have been given the choice of 40 push ups or being fined, and they face being detained if they ‘reoffend’.

Apprehended minors are given warnings turned over to their parents.

Las Pinas Police Chief Jemar Modequillo  said: "This is actually the pronouncement of our president-elect, Mayor-President Duterte. So maybe, for your information, that curfew has long been implemented already but then since this is actually the things that our president is emphasising, that is our very reason why everybody in our police force wants to strictly implement it."

Last month equipment worth more than £300,000, nine million pesos, that was used for the oroduction of illegal drugs was destroyed.

Since 2012 The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said it has destroyed over 8 billion pesos ($170 million) of illegal drugs

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Ramon Casiple, Executive Director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, said Duterte's full support for the police force has made an impact on their operations.

"Since he is calling for a harsher handling of the criminals, particularly those who are connected to the drug raid, there may be police officers who, on their own, if the stories is true, then they are trying to cover up their tracks or are inspired by the general atmosphere now because president-elect Duterte is claiming he has the mandate to be harsher on these drug raid participants," he said.

The new president will take office on June 30.

He has repeatedly reassured police they would have his full support if they killed criminals who resisted with violence. He has also warned that police found to be involved in the drug trade would suffer the same fate.

However, incoming police chief Ronald del Rosa has dismissed speculation that the high number of killings over the weekend was part of a cover-up to get rid of criminals who could implicate corrupt police officers who are involved in the drug trade.

In Davao City, where Duterte was mayor for more than 20 years, rights groups documented a total of 1,400 unsolved murders from 1998, most of them petty criminals and street-level drug peddlers. Duterte denies any involvement.

The illegal drug trade in the Philippines remains a serious national concern, not only for production but as a hub to transport drugs into the rest of Asia.

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