Authorities have shot dead Philippines mayor linked to the drugs trade. Mayor of the central town of Albuera, Rolando Espinosa, had fired at policemen hunting for weapons, authorities said. A fresh phase in the crackdown was declared last week to contain senior drug lords and mayors. The “war on drugs” has killed up to 4,000 individuals. Mr Duterte, 71, was elected in May on a program of keeping the Philippines becoming a “narco state” by sanctioning the extra-judicial killing of substance offenders who neglect to turn themselves in. But he won the election by a landslide and the contentious policy remains popular with many Filipinos.
