Following the conviction of the three policemen behind the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo said this development should be the start of a deeper probe into President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
“Dapat itong maging simula ng isang malalim na imbestigasyon, dahil ito ay nagpapatunay na may malaking problemang kailangan ayusin sa kampanya ng pamahalaan kontra sa droga (This should be the beginning of a deeper investigation as it proves that there is a big problem in the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign that needs to be resolved),” Robredo said in a statement on Thursday, November 29.
This, a few hours after the the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 125 found Police Officer (PO) 3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jeremias Pereda, and PO1 Jerwin Cruz guilty of murdering delos Santos and sentenced them to reclusion perpetua or imprisonment of 20 to 40 years without eligibility of parole.
[READ: Caloocan court convicts cops in Kian delos Santos slay of murder]
Delos Santos, whom the policemen claimed to be a drug courier, was killed on August 16 last year at Barangay 160, Baesa Libis in Caloocan City, while he was on his knees reportedly begging the police officers to let him go because he had an exam to take the next day.
The cops, however, earlier said the victim resisted arrest and fought back during the police operation.
“Hindi nararapat na tanggapin na lamang natin na lahat ng pinapatay ay ‘nanlaban.’ Kailangang sundin ang itinatakda ng Konstitusyon at mga batas sa pagpapatupad ng ‘war on drugs,’ upang maprotektahan ang taumbayan laban sa pang-aabuso (It is not right for us to just accept that all of those who killed ‘resisted arrest.’ We must follow what is stated in the Constitution and in laws in implementing the ‘war on drugs’ to protect the public against abuses),” the Vice President explained.
“Ito ang tanging paraan para mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga ‘di makatarungang napaslang tulad ni Kian, at maiwasan ang patuloy na pagpaslang sa mga iba pang walang sala (This is the only way to give justice to those who were unjustly killed like Kian, and to avoid relentless killing of innocents),” she added.
Several lawmakers lauded the decision of Judge Rodolfo Azucena, Jr. of Caloocan RTC Branch 125 on delos Santos’s case as justice was duly served for the teenager.
Malacañang also praised the latest development, noting that the ruling only proves that the Philippines has a strong judicial system.
Delos Santos’s uncle, Randy delos Santos, also urged other Filipino families victimized by extrajudicial killings (EJKs) to not be afraid to come forward and seek for help.
“Lumapit lang sila sa mga ahensya na tutulong po sa kanila, ‘Wag po silang matakot kahit wala silang pera, mahirap lang po kagaya namin (They just have to go to agencies that can help them. Do not be afraid even though you do not have money or poor just like us),” the elder delos Santos told GMA News TV’s Balitanghali.