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DRAFT RESOLUTION

Senate majority condemns spate of police killings, Kian's death


The Senate majority bloc, in a draft resolution, condemned the recent bloody anti-drugs operations that resulted in the killing of dozens of people, including 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos.

The draft resolution condemns "excessive and unnecessary deaths" in police raids conducted last week.

At least 90 drug suspects were killed by policemen in simultaneous raids in Bulacan province, Manila and the Camanava area.

A total of 32 people were killed in a 24-hour operation by the Bulacan Police Provincial Office while 34 were killed in Manila.

Twenty-four more people were killed in the Camanava area during operations on Thursday.

Delos Santos, meanwhile, was killed by policemen in an operation in Barangay 160 (Baesa), Caloocan City on Wednesday night.

The killing of the Grade 11 student was cited in the draft resolution described as a one of the "series of tragedies" caused by "apparent abuses by the police" in drug operations.

Senator Joel Villanueva said he was tasked to draft the resolution. He said inputs of six other senators from the majority bloc were incorporated into the draft. The majority bloc has 17 members.

The draft resolution recommends a Senate inquiry to review recent anti-drugs operations conducted by the police.

The draft resolution will be discussed in a majority caucus, led by Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, to be held in Makati City on Sunday night.

In an earlier interview on radio dzBB, Senator Panfilo Lacson said there is a growing sentiment among members of the majority to refer the investigation to the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee, which he chairs.

Lacson said the possible direction of the inquiry would be to find out if the latest police killings of suspected drug personalities in Bulacan and Metro Manila are state sponsored and to find out possible liabilities of the police in the killing of Delos  Santos.

"Hanggang ngayon tuluy-tuloy ang pagpatay. Sabihin nga natin, killing spree..." he said.

"Bakit tuwing bubuga ang Pangulo at pagsasabihan ang PNP (Philippine National Police) ay bakit parang nagkakaroon ng ganoong pattern. While meron ngang findings noon na 'di state sponsored, puwede nating tingnan muli at reviewhin baka maiba ang findings," he added.

Lacson was referring to the findings of the Senate justice committee chaired by Senator Richard Gordon, which said that the thousands of drug-related killings are state sponsored. The report also downplayed the existence of the Davao Death Squad that allegedly carried out killings on orders of President Rodrigo Duterte when he was mayor. —report from Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/ALG, GMA News

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