Kian’s family to charge cops this week, ready for drug test
The family of slain Grade 11 student Kian delos Santos is determined to file murder charges against the policemen who killed him in a supposed anti-illegal drugs operation in Caloocan City last week.
Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said yesterday she has accepted the request of the Delos Santos family to take the case.
“We are already collating all the evidence that we will use in the filing of the complaint within the week,” Acosta assured.
Kian was killed by policemen
during an anti-illegal drugs operation in Barangay 160, Caloocan City last August 16.
Policemen who conducted the operation claimed he was killed because he allegedly resisted arrest and fired a gun at them.
But witnesses and a closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the incident revealed that policemen dragged and manhandled the victim before shooting him in cold blood.
Many witnesses claimed that they saw Kian being slapped and punched by armed cops who were not wearing uniforms. It was a 13-year-old witness who said she heard the Grade 11 student plead for his life: “Tama na po! Tama na po! May test pa ako bukas.”
After being killed, a .45-caliber pistol and two sachets of shabu were found in the possession of the victim. But the gun being in Kian’s left hand posed another controversy, because he was right-handed.
‘Test us for drugs’ The Delos Santos family stood firm yesterday on denying allegations by the Caloocan City Police that Kian and his family, particularly his 49-year-old father Sandy and uncles, are involved in the illegal drugs trade in their village.
Members of the Delos Santos family told The Manila Bulletin that they are willing to undergo a drug test to prove they are not drug users or pushers.
Citing information given to him, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa earlier said Kian’s father and uncles are alleged drug personalities.
At last Saturday’s Caloocan City Peace and Order Council meeting, Chief Insp. Amor Cerillo, the relieved commander of the Police Community Precinct 7 (PCP-7), said that Kian was a “runner” of a drug pusher named “Neneng.”
The following day, the Caloocan City Police presented to media drug suspect Renato Loveras, alias “Nono,” who claimed that on a number of occasions it was Kian allegedly sent by Neneng to deliver “shabu” to him.
However, Loveras said he could not recall how many times Kian supposedly delivered illegal drugs to him.
“Handa po ang pamilya naming magpa-drug test para mapatunayan na malinis kami (We are willing to undergo drug test to prove that we are innocent),” Levy Delos Santos, uncle of Kian, said.
He said that their family has nothing to hide, saying they just want justice for what happened to his nephew.
Earlier, Saldy dared police to release evidence to prove their allegations.
Randy Delos Santos, another uncle of Kian, said: “Bakit ngayon lang po nila nilabas ’yang witness kuno nila? Matagal na ‘yang nahuli, ‘di ba? (Why are they bringing out that supposed witness just now? It’s been a while since he’d been arrested, right?).”
Police claimed Loveras was arrested Thursday, the day after Kian was killed, but he was only brought before media last Sunday.
It also claimed that there is intelligence information on Kian’s supposed involvement in illegal drugs.
But, in the first spot report the Caloocan Police released, Kian was listed as an “unidentified man” police operatives just encountered. This means he was not a target of the operation.
WPP ready – Aguirre Yesterday, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II expressed willingness to place witnesses under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).
“If they will apply, we are willing to consider them to the WPP,” said Aguirre.
In the meantime, Aguirre has already ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the death of the 17-year-old victim.
In his Department Order 546 issued last Friday, Aguirre instructed the NBI to conduct a parallel probe on the killing which has caused public outrage.
Hontiveros’ protection
Last Sunday, Senator Risa Hontiveros said the witnesses in the killing of Kian were already under her protective custody.
“My office took custody of the witnesses and began ensuring their safety. Another institution is also helping. The protection provided to the family will be extended to the key witnesses who will help in bringing to justice the perpetrators of the extrajudicial killing of Kian Lloyd delos Santos,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
Hontiveros said she would help the family in whatever concerns they have, especially whatever legal services they would need.
Politicking?
In Malacañang, Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux Uson said Kian’s death should be investigated instead of being politicized to promote selfish interests of some groups.
“Tayo rin po ay humihiling na maimbestigahan ang pagkamatay ni Kian, ngunit kasabay po nito ay sana hindi naman magamit ang pangyayaring ito para sa pansariling laban ng ilang mga politiko (We also seek an investigation into the death of Kian but at the same time we hope this incident will not be used for the personal fight of some politicians),” she said in a Facebook post. “Stop politicizing,” she added.
Uson mentioned Sen. Hontiveros as among the officials supposedly politicizing the death of Delos Santos as propaganda against the government.
‘Fire that prosecutor’
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also lambasted a Caloocan City Assistant Prosecutor Darwin Cañete for allegedly manifesting partiality and personal prejudices against Kian and accused him of “lawyering for the Caloocan police.”
Drilon urged Aguirre II to relieve Cañete of his position and re-assign him to another post “where he can reacquaint himself with the basics of due process and respect for the rule of law.” (With reports from Hannah L. Torregoza and Genalyn D. Kabiling)