Kian slay trial ends, promulgation in Nov.

The six-month trial of Kian delos Santos, the 17-year-old student allegedly killed by three policemen, ended Thursday.

Judge Rodolfo Azucena Jr. set the promulgation on November 29.

Defense Attorney Oliver Yuan said he is confident Police Officer (PO) 1 Jeremias Pereda, PO1 Jerwin Cruz, and PO3 Arnel Oares will be acquitted.

Yuan said the prosecution’s arguments were full of inconsistencies.

“Under the law, in order to have a conviction, the guilt of the accused must be proven beyond reasonable doubt. Should it be based on the evidence presented by the defense? No,” Yuan said.

“It should be based on the evidence presented by the prosecution. And if you have seen the testimonies of their witnesses, it is there that you will see a clear inconsistency,” he said.

During Pereda’s hearing, prosecutors pointed to inconsistencies in the defense’s case, one of which was when Pereda said the basketball court was brightly lit when it had always been said before that the area was dark.

Pereda also described their asset as “JR.” Prosecutors said that earlier, a certain Renato “Nonong” Loveraz was presented as a police asset to the media.

Yuan cited statements made by prosecution witnesses, including one who said she saw Pereda fire his gun three or four times the night Delos Santos was killed.

No traces of gunpowder were found on Pereda or Cruz.

The accused have also repeatedly admitted that it was Oares who fired his gun, and an investigation by the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed that a bullet from Oares’ firearm had killed the teenager.

Another prosecution witness said she was standing about 12 meters from the crime scene and was able to see Delos Santos and the policemen.

Scene of the Crime Operatives, however, said they had to use flashlights to investigate the scene because it was too dark.

“If we’re talking about inconsistencies, it’s with the prosecution, not with us. If you’re going to read the transcripts of my clients, you could see the consistency of their statements,” Yuan said.

Cruz validated Pereda’s version of the shooting when he testified at the Caloocan Regional Trial Court Branch 125.

He said he met JR for the first time during the briefing for Oplan Galugad at Police Community Precinct 7.

They conducted Oplan Galugad at Barangay 162, Libis Baesa, Caloocan City and returned to the precinct to check their arrests before proceeding to Barangay 160, Cruz said.