Senator offers protection to Kian's family

Akbayan party-list Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday vowed to help the family of slain 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos in their pursuit of justice.

"I am here to accord full protection and security to the family and to the witnesses, to provide whatever legal service is needed," Hontiveros said in a statement after she visited the wake of the Grade 11 student in Caloocan City.

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

Police claimed they recovered a .45 pistol and two sachets of suspected shabu from the victim.

The teenager's father, Zaldy, said that they have obtained a CCTV camera footage that shows his son was brought by policemen to the place where he was killed.

Policemen involved in the operation claimed the teenager resisted arrest and shot them with a pistol as he was escaping.

Zaldy claimed his son was blindfolded by the police and was being forced to identify drug pushers in their area.

A witness has also come out claiming that the teenager had begged for his life.

The senator said she will join the family in its fight for justice.

"Pinatay dahil nanlaban? Puwes, tayo ngayon ay lalaban," she said.

"We will unearth the truth. We will fight for justice for Kian, and for those whose lives were abruptly ended by this abusive and corrupt war-on-drugs. This ends here," the senator added.

Following her meeting with Kian's parents Zaldy and Lorenze de los Santos, Hontiveros called for an "independent" and "impartial" investigation on the case and all cases of murder involving the police.

"Nandito ako para makiramay sa mga mahal sa buhay ni Kian, kay Bong at Elsa. Ang buong bansa galit, nagluluksa," she said.

"Paano tayo humantong sa ganito? Siguro itanong natin sa mga sarili natin, ganito ba tayo bilang mga Pilipino? Hayok sa dugo na ok lang sating may mga mabiktimang disisyete anyos na katulad ni Kian? Hayok sa dugo na ok lang mabiktima ang isang batang masayahin, malambing, mapagbiro at mahal na mahal ng mga kabarangay, ng mga kaibigan, mga kaklase at pamilya niya?," she added.

The senator also called for an end to the administration's war on drugs.

"Sobra na ito. Tama na. Nakakabahala na ang mga mahihirap at walang kalaban-laban ang mga nabibiktima ng war-on-drugs na ito," Hontiveros said. —Ted Cordero/ALG, GMA News