Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of thePhilippine capital of Manila to denounce President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, as they marked the death anniversary of one of the country's pro-democracy heroes.
Human rights advocates, youth groups, and religious communities on Monday defied a tropical storm that brought steady rain to gather at the memorial of the 1986 people power revolution to call for an end to the killings in Duterte's war on drugs.
Amid public pressure, Duterte said on Monday there could have been abuses in his anti-drug war policy.
"There is a possibility that in some of police incidents there could be abuses. I admit that," Duterte told reporters in Manila. "These abusive police officers are destroying the crereportingdibility of the government."
Protesters are demanding an independent investigation into the summary executions and police operations that left thousands of people dead. They said the president should be held accountable for the deaths.
Demonstrators waved Philippine flags and carried banners that read: "Resist the Fascist!", "Stop the Killings!", and "We will fight" among others.
Monday marks the 34th anniversary of the assassination of democracy icon Benigno Aquino, who fought the 20-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos was ousted in 1986 in a peaceful protest, which saw Aquino's window, Corazon, become president. Duterte is an avowed supporter of Marcos.
Leaders of Monday's protest said the death toll in Duterte's war on drugs has now reached 13,000 - surpassing the number of deaths of anti-government activists during Marcos' two decades in office.
Government figures show that since Duterte took office last year, an estimated 3,451 "drug personalities" have been killed in gun battles with police up to July 26, 2017.
Another 2,000 more died in drug-related homicides, including attacks by motorcycle-riding masked gunmen and other assaults, while 8,200 homicide cases are "under investigation".
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