Caloocan police float man claiming Kian was a drug runner

The Caloocan City Police Station on Saturday presented a drug suspect who is claiming that 17-year-old Kian delos Santos was a drug runner.

In a report on 24 Oras by Katrina Son, the drug suspect identified only as Lando claimed that he had drug transactions with Delos Santos almost daily.

The man claimed that Delos Santos was a drug runner of a certain Neneng, who is now a subject of police's follow-up operations.

"Ganon po talaga 'yung nangyari. Tatlong buwan pa lang po. kasi bago pa lang po ko nagganyan eh... ganon na droga," Lando said.

Police said Lando was arrested on Thursday, a day after Delos Santos was killed during a raid in Barangay 160.

The Caloocan City police has declined to provide additional information on the supposed drug transactions between Lando and Delos Santos.

The report also said that the Caloocan City police had insisted that the man seen being escorted by policemen in a CCTV camera footage was not Delos Santos.

Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan, meanwhile, said that the city government will conduct a parallel investigation into Delos Santos' killing.

Malapitan also insisted that Delos Santos was the person seen in the CCTV camera footage.

"Ang buong pagkakaalam ko, si Kian 'yun. Eh hindi natin ano eh, siguro kailangan mai-focus ng husto. Parallel investigation ang gagawin namin. Titingnan namin kung tama 'yung sinubmit na ebidensya ng mga pulis at ganon din ang findings ng ibang ahensya," said Malapitan.

In the same 24 Oras report, relieved Caloocan City police Station 7 commander Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo claimed that they had coordinated with barangay officials before Wednesday night's  anti-drugs operation.

Furthermore, he insisted that there was nothing irregular in Delos Santos' killing.

"Ginawa ko lang po iyong trabaho ko. Patutunayan naman po 'yan sa korte kugn nagkasala ako at ang mga tao ko," he said.

Caloocan City police chief Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna has also been relieved pending an investigation on Delos Santos' killing.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe Delos Santos' killing.

In the CCTV camera footage, policemen in plain clothes was seen excorting a man. One policeman was seen with his left arm wrapped around the man's neck.

Delos Santos' family said the footage contradicts policemen's claim that the teenager resisted arrest and was running away as he fired at the lawmakers with a .45 pistol.

Meanwhile, a witness had claimed seeing Delos Santos begging for his life.

"Naririnig ko siya humihingi ng tulong. Nakaupo po siya na nakayuko. Sinabi niya, 'Sir, wag po.' Unang paputok 'di ko na po alam kung saan pinaputukan nagkasunod-sunod na 'yung bala. Sa sobrang takot ko po, tumakbo po ako palayo," the witness said.

Delos Santos' father, Zaldy, also said that the police's claim that his son was armed with a .45 pistol was impossible.

He said that according to a witness, the policemen was forcing Delos Santos to carry a gun.

"Kasi nga 'yung sa testigo pinahawak siya ng baril tapos pinatakbo siya. Tapos 'yung short niya boxer, paano susuksok 'yung .45 doon?" said Zaldy, who vowed to seek justice for his son's death. —Anna Felicia Bajo/ALG, GMA News