3 witnesses in Kian's slay to be presented at Senate probe

The three witnesses to the killing of teenage student Kian Loyd Delos Santos who are under the custody of Senator Risa Hontiveros will appear at the Senate inquiry on the incident on Thursday.

Hontiveros disclosed this development in a press conference on Wednesday, saying the witnesses, two of them minors aged 13 and 16, have already signed affidavits that will be included in the filing of criminal case against the three policemen involved.

Chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson, the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs will hold the hearing at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Hontiveros said the witnesses decided to stay under her care in response to the request of the Delos Santos family to transfer them to the custody of the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), legal counsel for Kian's family.

"From the start, when my office took custody of the witnesses, it was in response to the request of these witnesses and their families, and even the family of Kian to protect them from the threats that they have been receiving," the senator said.

"Dahil dito, agad naming kinausap at kinonsulta ang mga witnesses at kanilang pamilya ukol sa hiling na ito. Sa dulo, ang ultimong desisyon ay nasa mga witnesses at kanilang pamilya. At batay sa kanila, mas panatag sila kung nasaan sila ngayon."

She added it was her commitment to the Delos Santos family to ensure the safety of the witnesses and deliver justice for Kian.

After the press conference, Hontiveros said the witnesses were brought to the Child Protection Unit of the Philippine General Hospital in Manila where representatives from the NBI and Commission on Human Rights took their statements about the August 16 incident.

Policemen said that they killed Delos Santos during an anti-drugs operation after the teenager fired at them as he was escaping.

Delos Santos' family, however, claimed that a CCTV camera footage would prove that the teenager could not have run away as he was being dragged by a policeman after his apprehension.

The police, in turn, said Delos Santos was a drug runner and that his father and uncles were into the illegal drug trade, an accusation that has since been denied by his family. —KBK, GMA News