Rights group condemns killing of Kian delos Santos

A human rights advocacy group on Friday condemned the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos during an anti-drugs operation in Caloocan City.

"The killing of seventeen year-old Kian Lloyd Delos Santos is appalling. According to testimony of family and witnesses, this boy was handed a gun and ordered to run!  We do not believe any supposed evidence by police—their pattern is already well established," Rise Up for Lights and for Rights said in a press statement.

"They have no conscience and will plant evidence on anyone. This situation is flatly barbaric," the group added.

Kian died after he was shot during an Oplan Galugad operation in Barangay 160 in Caloocan City on Wednesday night.

Authorities claimed that he attempted to flee when they were approaching him. Police chased him but the victim allegedly drew a gun and fired at them, forcing them to fire back.

Relatives of the victim belied the account, saying the teenage boy has never been involved in illegal activities.

Police say they recovered a caliber .45 pistol and two sachets of suspected shabu from the victim. His relatives have denied that the items belong to him.

The group also said President Rodrigo Duterte has chosen a "wrong approach" in fighting illegal drugs in the country.

"Even Duterte has said that he won’t finish this war during his term.  He flaunts false patriotism, where ‘saving the future’ is nothing more than brute destruction rained upon one’s own citizens.  He has always been ruthless in talking about drug users and small-time pushers.  We have seen that when it comes to poor he has no intention to address—he simply seems to wants (and even enjoys) to kill, kill, kill!" the group said.

"The supply of drugs through drug-lords, suppliers, producers and narco-politicians must be dismantled; this is what ails us.  The poor need and deserve livelihood programs and social services, including rehabilitation for those dependent on drug-use. We must address the roots of what makes for the proliferation of the illegal drug trade and not just give the police a license to kill," the group added.

Rise Up said a lot of families are already expressing their willingness to join human rights advocates to denounce the Duterte administration's violent war against illegal drugs.

"Even if many Filipinos have turned a blind eye and cold-heartedly ignored their plight, these families are plodding on with the help of advocates to find their footing and organize amongst themselves to take on this war on drugs," the group said. — BAP, GMA News