Rody: Erring cops will be jailed

President Duterte vowed yesterday to bring to jail policemen involved in the killing of 17-year-old student Kian delos Santos if they are found guilty of criminal acts.

Duterte, who had repeatedly assured policemen of protection in his intensified war on illegal drugs, said the killing of Delos Santos should be investigated to determine if law enforcers had criminal liability.

“I saw the tape on TV and I agreed that there should be investigation. Should the investigation point to a liability, there will be prosecuted and they have to go to jail if convicted. That I can assure you,” the President told reporters in a late-night press conference. “Let’s wait for investigation. If there is criminal liability I will order the prosecution to the full

extent of the law.”

Duterte assured the public there would be no whitewash in the investigation.

He said it was also premature to comment on reports that Delos Santos was a drug runner.

The Department of Justice earlier ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a probe on the killing.

“The most prudent thing for me to do is shut up and wait for result of investigation,” he said.

Asked if he would pardon policemen involved, Duterte replied: “I saw the evidence that’s why I called Bato (Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa). I told him to arrest them and place them behind bars.”

Prior to the evening press conference, chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said police officers couldn’t just kill Delos Santos even if he might have been a drug courier.

Panelo said law enforcers can only use force if the suspect poses a threat to their lives.

“Many are saying that the boy was a child runner. Even if he was a drug runner, you cannot just kill somebody like that,” Panelo said in an interview with staterun Radyo Pilipinas.

“Kailangan nanlaban siya. Eh kung hindi naglaban bakit naman siya papatayin? Kaya hindi papayag si Presidente ng ganoon-ganoon lang (He should have fought. If he did not, why kill him? The President will not allow this to pass),” he added.

Panelo said Duterte does not tolerate abusive practices by law enforcers.