Renowned US singer cancels Manila gig over drugs deaths

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) - Renowned American singer songwriter James Taylor has cancelled a concert due to take place next year in Manila over a spate of drug-related killings in the Philippines.

Taylor, who has frequently spoken about his own drug addiction early in his career, said in a statement posted on his website Wednesday that recent reports of drug-related killings are deeply concerning and unacceptable, hence pushing him to take a political stand.

Since President Rodrigo Duterte's inauguration, more than 6,000 people have been killed in the Philippines over suspected drug links -- with around two-thirds of the deaths attributed to “vigilante-style killings” and the remainder to police operations, according to national police data cited by the Rappler news website.

"I've been eagerly looking forward to playing for my Philippine audience ever since we added Manila to our tour of the Pacific this coming February. So it saddens me to cancel our concert there. I don't think of my music as being particularly political but sometimes one is called upon to make a political stand," Taylor said.

"The scourge of addiction is a worldwide problem and does serious harm, not only to the addict but to our society. For a sovereign nation to prosecute and punish, under the law, those responsible for the illegal trade in drugs is, of course, understandable, even commendable."

President Duterte swept to power in May, vowing to wage a war on drugs and clean up the rampant corruption that has riddled the Southeast Asian country's politics for years.

Since June 30, hundreds of thousands of people have been imprisoned and several thousand shot dead in an anti drugs campaign.

"Recent reports from the Philippines of summary executions of suspected offenders without trial or judicial process are deeply concerning and unacceptable to anyone who loves the rule of law," Taylor said.

In 2000, Taylor -- whose most renowned songs include Carolina in My Mind, Something in the Way She Moves, and Fire And Rain -- was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.