The Philippines’ ongoing war on drugs is hurting the tourism industry and the media is to blame, says the country’s tourism secretary.
Wanda Teo has urged media outlets to ‘tone down’ their coverage of the so-called extrajudicial killings.
"Help us because it’s really difficult for me to sell the Philippines, especially when extrajudicial killings become the topic," Teo said.
Teo said Asian and European tour operators have voiced fears over safety in the country.
"I would always say it’s safe in the Philippines," she said.
Filipino vice president Leni Robredo, now a critic of the policy, says about 7,000 drug suspects have been gunned down indiscriminately since last year.
President Duterte was elected partly on a promise to eradicate drugs from society.
However indiscriminate killings have caused a climate of fear in some cities and stoked up intense criticism from human rights groups and the international community.
Duterte could also face impeachment and charges in the International Criminal Court over the killings.
Tourism secretary Teo’s pleas to the media has been ridiculed by UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard who said Teo should instead ask the government to end the killings.
