Three police officers from Philippine were sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing a teenager during the government campaign to combat drug trafficking, Reuters reported.

“A shoot first, think later attitude can never be countenanced in a civilized society. Never has homicide or murder been a function of law enforcement. The public peace is never predicated on the cost of human life”, said the ruling by Judge Roldolfo Azucena.

In August 2017, a 17-year-old high school pupil, was shot dead by police in the city of Caloocan during operation against drug trafficking.

According to police, the drug peddlers and users were killed in shoot-outs, and they were acting in self-defence.

Later, a record was revealed from a video surveillance camera, capturing two men, who was forcibly leading a teenager into the street, where the corpse was later discovered.