Updated

The Philippine Supreme Court has ordered the release of police documents on thousands of killings of suspects in the president's anti-drug crackdown, in a ruling that human rights groups say could shed light on allegations of extrajudicial killings.

Supreme Court spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka told reporters Tuesday that the court ordered the government solicitor-general to provide the police reports to two rights groups which had sought them.

Solicitor-General Jose Calida had agreed to release the voluminous police documents to the court but rejected the requests of the two groups — the Free Legal Assistance Group and the Center for International Law — citing national security concerns.

The groups welcomed the court order.