Ombudsman starts Kian slay probe
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales confirmed yesterday that the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has started its own investigation into the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos who was gunned down by Caloocan policemen during an anti-drug operation.
“We already started our fact-finding investigation. The office of the military and other officers… has already started the fact-finding investigation,” Morales told reporters in an interview at the sidelines of a Senate budget hearing.
Morales said they have started sending out subpoena to the personalities involved in the slay case.
“We have started sending out subpoena. We want a piece of this or that document,” she said.
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon, in a separate interview, said he is glad that the Ombudsman has confirmed that her office has concurrent jurisdiction on the teenager’s case.
“The Ombudsman has confirmed that she has concurrent jurisdiction with the DOJ insofar as Kian’s killing is concerned. But, because of the MOA (memorandum of agreement), it’s the DOJ that’s assuming jurisdiction,” Drilon said.
Parents under WPP
The parents of Delos Santos have already been placed under the provisional coverage of the Witness Protection Program (WPP) of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the Saldy and Lorenza Delos Santos were immediately extended provisional coverage when they went to the DOJ yesterday to apply for the WPP.
“They voluntarily went to us at the DOJ today to apply for admission to the WPP. And we immediately accommodated them,” he said in a statement.
Aguirre said the move proves there is no truth to allegations he has been biased against Kian.
At the House of Representatives, Rep. Karlo Nograles said President Duterte’s move of empathizing with the parents of Kian proves that he is a uniting force among Filipinos.
“President Duterte has already expressed his dismay over what happened to Kian, but for him to reach out to the 17-year-old’s parents shows that he’s not about to let hate-mongers take control of the issue,” said Nograles. (With reports from Jeffrey G. Damicog and Ellson A. Quismorio)