Witnesses in Kian’s killing ready to testify — Hontiveros

Witnesses in the killing of Grade 11 student Kian Loyd delos Santos will be presented during the Senate investigation tomorrow, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said yesterday.

Hontiveros said the witnesses, who are under her protective custody, would narrate how Delos Santos was allegedly executed by police during an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City last week.

She refused to reveal the number of witnesses who would be presented during the hearing by the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

“From the very start they were saying that Kian was executed. This is not the alternative version that is being floated that he engaged police in a shootout,” Hontiveros said. “They want to help the family of Kian get justice.”

Earlier, Delos Santos’ father Saldy urged Hontiveros to turn over the witnesses to the Public Attorney’s Office, which offered assistance to the family.

Hontiveros said they would first discuss the family’s request with the witnesses.

She said the witnesses sought her help for protection after they received threats from unidentified persons.

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV condemned the killing of Delos Santos.

“Thousands of Filipinos, including children, have died in the course of this drug war. Last week alone, 81 drugrelated deaths were recorded. Collateral damage include children as young as four years old, killed in the hands of those who have sworn to serve and protect the people,” Aquino said.

CHR probe

With at least 80 people dead in the war on drugs in less than a week, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is scrambling to investigate the alleged human rights violations committed by police.

“We have dispatched teams to investigate the killings of drug suspects in Bulacan, Biñan in Laguna and Manila,” CHR Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana said yesterday.

At least 800 cases of extrajudicial killings are being investigated by the CHR since President Duterte assumed office last year.

CHR Chairman Chito Gascon said the number is a small percentage out of thousands who allegedly died in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“We are sad because police shot dead a child who once dreamt of becoming a police officer,” Gascon said, referring to Delos Santos.

Do a Marcos, Rody told

President Duterte should do a Marcos and create an independent commission to investigate extrajudicial killings, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said yesterday.

“In the midst of accusations that he was the mastermind of the airport murder of Ninoy Aquino, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos created the Agrava Commission to investigate the assassination,” Lagman said.

“President Duterte should do no less in the case of extrajudicial killings. The creation of an impartial fact-finding body may be the answer to stop the killings of drug suspects,” he said.

Lagman said former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formed the Feliciano Commission to look into the grievances against her by the Oakwood mutineers.

Arroyo also formed the Melo Commission to investigate the alleged political killings and summary executions during her term, Lagman said.

Lagman urged the media to support his call for an independent investigation of Delos Santos’ death.

Rep. Tom Villarin of Akbayan said the mounting killings could be blamed on the “kill quota” imposed on policemen.

“There is a quota, though no one will admit it. A member of Akbayan was among the victims. He was shot nine times. He was not on the drug list but police killed him because they could not find those in the list. His name was later added to the list,” Villarin said.

Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. said the President’s expression of elation over the rising number of deaths amounted to a marching order for police to step up the killings.

Baguilat called on his colleagues to show to the people that the House of Representatives “stands for the rule of law.”

Rep. Gary Alejano of Magdalo partylist lamented that the House, which is dominated by administration allies, refused to act on his resolution calling for an inquiry into extrajudicial killings.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon revived his call for law enforcement agents to wear a body camera to prevent human rights violations.

Biazon filed House Bill 2741 or the Body Cam Act last year to serve as a “neutral eyewitness” to protect targets of police operations from possible abuses.

Abra Rep. Joseph Bernos pushed for reforms in the Philippine National Police amid public outrage over the killing of Delos Santos.

Leila can’t attend probe

Detained Sen. Leila de Lima has failed to get the Supreme Court (SC)’s permission to attend the Senate probe on the killing of Delos Santos tomorrow.

De Lima, through her lawyer Teddy Esteban Rigoroso, filed an urgent motion before the SC justices held their regular session yesterday.

But the pleading was not included in the agenda so it was not tackled by the SC, according to an insider.

The source said De Lima’s motion would be tackled during the next session on Aug. 29.

De Lima is detained on drug charges at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame.

De Lima reiterated that she is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

In her motion, De Lima asked the high court to allow her to exercise her duties as a senator to probe the spate of killings under the Duterte administration.