DOJ wraps up probe on Kian slay case

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday wrapped up its preliminary investigation on the criminal complaint involving the death of teenage student Kian Loyd Delos Santos in the hands of Caloocan City policemen on August 16.

Associate Prosecution Attorney II Moises Acayan said the case is now submitted for resolution after the additional 12 cops charged with murder and torture submitted their joint rejoinder affidavit.

Acayan said the three-man panel of prosecutors will come up with a resolution by the second week of November, subject to the approval of Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon and Acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan Jr.

12 cops charged for Kian Delos Santos slay submit joint rejoinder affidavit; DOJ investigating panel submits case for resolution. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/qIulwOi9sQ

— Virgil Lopez (@virgillopez) October 27, 2017

In their joint rejoinder affidavit, the 12 cops insisted that the charges must be dismissed, arguing they were not at the crime scene when Delos Santos was being pursued by the group of Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares on suspicion of being a drug runner.

“Could the other respondents prevent the shooting of Kian delos Santos? The answer is definitely no. How can the respondents prevent PO3 Oares from shooting Kian Delos  Santos when all the other respondents were in another place? Do the other respondents know that Kian delos Santos would exchange gunfire with respondent Oares? The answer is no,” rejoinder affidavit stated.

“Can anybody blame respondent Oares for firing at Kian delos Santos if during that time he strongly believes that his own life is in imminent danger? The answer is no,” it added.

The policemen also took exception to the claim of Delos Santos’ parents and complainants, Saldy and Lorenza, that they only made alibis to support their defense.

“A careful perusal of all the allegations of all the respondents in the respective counter affidavits and rejoinder would show that the defenses put by the respondents were all backed by solid pieces of evidence. On the contrary, it is the complainants who made only bare allegations,” the rejoinder affidavit read.

They maintained that the police operation that led to Delos Santos’ death was not tainted with irregularities.

The joint rejoinder affidavit was submitted by Police Officers 2 Arnel Cañezares, Fernan Cano and Diony Corpuz, and Police Officers 1 Silverio Garcia Jr., J-Rossilini Lorenzo, Christian Joy Aguilar and Myrldon Yagi and Police Officers 1 Reynaldo Dan Blanco Jr., Ceferino Paculan, Erwin Romeroso, Ferdinand Claro and Ronald Herrera

Also named respondents in the complaints prepared by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) were former Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 7 commander Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, Oares, the cop who allegedly shot Delos Santos to death, Cruz, and Pereda.

Separate complaints for murder, violation of domicile under Article 128 of the Revised Penal Code, and planting of evidence under Section 29 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 were lodged by the National Bureau of Investigation against Cerillo, Oares, Cruz and Pereda. — RSJ, GMA News