Caloocan cops implicated in Kian’s death face murder, torture raps

The family of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos on Friday filed a criminal complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the Caloocan City policemen involved in the teenager's death during an anti-drug operations on August 16.

Assisted by the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), Delos Santos' family lodged complaints for murder and torture of a minor leading to death against Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares and Police Officers 1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz.

Their supervisor, Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 7 commander Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, and several unidentified individuals were included in the complaint for murder which was received by Assistant State Prosecutor Tofel Austria.

Cerillo was included in the murder complaint on the ground of command responsibility, according to the PAO.

Present at the filing were complainants and Delos Santos' parents, Saldy and Lorenza delos Santos, and their witnesses.

Outside the DOJ, youth activists affiliated with the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) held a rally, which coincided with the filing of the complaint, calling for justice for Delos Santos' death and an end to the government's war on drugs.

"We call for accountability of the police officials involved in the killings as well as accountability of the Commander-in-Chief (President Rodrigo Duterte) who legitimized the killings. We stand with Kian's family and with the victims of the fascist drug war," Bayan said in a statement.

Restrictive custody

Except for Cerillo, the three policemen have been placed under restrictive custody to ensure an impartial probe by the Philippine National Police-Internal Affair Service into the incident, which has sparked public outrage over supposed abuses in the government's intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

Police said they killed Delos Santos in self-defense after the Grade 12 student, who they accused of being a drug runner, allegedly resisted arrest by firing at them during the anti-drug operation in Barangay 160.

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.

Witnesses also said they heard Delos Santos begging for his life before being shot to death by the policemen.

The Senate started its probe into Delos Santos' death on Thursday. — RSJ, GMA News