13-year-old witness details how Caloocan cops nabbed Kian Loyd

A 13-year-old witness gave an eyewitness account before lawyers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) as to how Caloocan City policemen conducted a drug raid that eventually led to the killing of Kian Loyd delos Santos.

According to the witness, three men alighted from two motorcycles around 8 p.m. on August 16 wearing civilian clothes with their asset named Nono Lubiras.

Lubiras was seen handcuffed when he pointed to the house of Kian whom he said was a drug runner.

"Yung lalakeng nagtuturo namukhaan ko. Kilala siya sa amin bilang si 'Nonong' o alyas 'Tropa.' Siya yung naka pula. Kilala siyang nagbebenta ng drugs. Doon siya sa botika nag-aantay ng mga magde-deliver sa kanya. Kilala rin siya na nagtuturo para sa pulis. Tanong ko sa sarili ko, 'bakit tinuturo yung bahay ni Kian?'" the witness' affidavit said.

The group then went to Kian's home where they found his siblings Sherry Anne and JR. Kian, however, was not at the house at the time, the witness said.

The witness said Kian was later seen at a basketball court near his home where the policemen frisked the 17-year-old and allegedly found a handgun.

"Ang kumakapkap ‘yung matangkad na naka-sando. ‘Yung mga kumakapkap nakatalikod sa akin at ‘yung kinakapkapan nakaharap sa akin. Sabi ko 'Si Kian nga.'," the witness said.

"Pagkapkap kay Kian, tinaas pa ang t-shirt niya pero walang nakuha. Pero maya-maya, biglang nagsalita ‘yung naka-sando 'Ano ‘to? Ano ‘to!' Sagot ni Kian 'Sir, wala po ako diyan, sir. Hindi ko po alam yan.'," the affidavit added.

The witness further saw the policemen force Kian to hold the handgun, but Kian refused, angering the policemen.

"Inaabot ‘nung isang lalake kay Kian ang isang bagay na hugis baril, nakabalot sa bimpo. Pilit n’yang ipinahahawak kay Kian. Pero tumanggi si Kian, 'Ayoko po, ayoko po!' Nagalit yung mga lalaki kay Kian. Biglang sinampal si Kian, kaliwa’t-kanan. Sinuntok siya at pagkasuntok, sinikmuraan ng dalawang beses," the witness said.

After a few minutes, the witness said a man wearing a green shirt, later identified as Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares, approached the group and ordered them to drag Kian to the basketball court.

"Bigla nilang piniringan sa mata si Kian. Pinayuko si Kian at tinaas ang t-shirt niya para takpan ang ulo. Kinaladkad nila si Kian papuntang basketball court. ‘Yung naka-green naiwan doon para bantayan si Nonong," the witness said.

'Umiiyak na lang siya nang kinakaladkad'

Two others corroborated the statement of the 13-year-old witness, one is 16 years old and another, aged 31.

According to the 13-year-old, Kian was no longer resisting the policemen and was merely crying as they dragged his body to the basketball court.

"Napansin ko na hindi na nagsasalita si Kian. Umiiyak na lang siya nang kinakaladkad siya ng mga lalaki papuntang ibaba," the witness said.

The 31-year-old witness, meanwhile, recalled hearing a gunshot after Kian appealed to the policemen to set him free.

"Una, kinakausap lang nila ‘yung lalaking hawak nila. Maya-maya tinulak nung isa yung lalaking hawak nila, at napadapa ‘yung lalaking ‘yon. Habang nakadapa, ang narinig ko na sinabi ng lalaki ay 'Sir, huwag po! Huwag po!'" the witness said.

"Bigla na lang nakarinig ako ng putok ng baril kaya nagtago ako sa likod ng gate, pero nakasilip pa rin ako at nakita ko na pinagbabaril nila, kasama ang isang lalaki na biglang sumulpot, yung lalaking nakadapa. Pumasok ako agad sa loob ng bahay," the witness added.

The affidavits of the witnesses were used by the IBP in the filing of charges against Oares, Police Officer 1 Jeremias Pereda and Police Officer 1 Jerwin Cruz—the policemen directly involved in the killing before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Also facing complaints are relieved Northern Police District head Chief Superintendent Roberto Fajardo, former Caloocan City Police chief Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna, and former Police Community Precinct 7 head Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo. — RSJ/KVD, GMA News