PNP on Callamard’s ‘murder’ tweet: Let’s not rush judgment

The Philippine National Police on Friday asked that the public withhold judgment and allow due process to take its course in the case of the policemen involved in the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos in a drug operation last week.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos made the remark after United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions Agnes Callamard posted on Twitter and called Delos Santos' slay "murder."

“Let us allow the formal criminal investigations to proceed and not rush into conclusion or judgment,” Carlos told GMA News Online when asked about the matter.

“Let us allow the police personnel involved to have their day in court and defend themselves,” he added.

He said that the PNP welcomed the criminal complaints filed against their personnel.

“At this point, the said police personnel are still innocent until proven otherwise by the court hearing their case. Let us also accord them their rights,” Carlos said.

He further said that the case of Delos Santos did "not represent the entire anti-drug campaign of the PNP.”

The 17-year old student was killed by police officers during an anti-drug operation in Sta. Quiteria, Caloocan City.

Carlos said the PNP leadership would continue to support their personnel who continue to be true to their mandate but will not tolerate any wrongdoings or illegal acts by erring members.

Police claimed Delos Santos was a newly-identified drug suspect in their area.

They said on the night of August 16 when Delos Santos was killed, he allegedly attempted to flee police when they were approaching him.

Police chased the student but he allegedly drew a gun and fired at them, forcing them to fire back.

Reportedly recovered from Delos Santos were a .45 pistol and two sachets of suspected shabu with a street value of about twenty-thousand pesos.

His relatives, however, said the items did not belong to the teenager and witnesses claimed the cops' version of events was not true.

A CCTV camera footage also showed that the cops appeared to be carrying De los Santos to the place where he was killed, contrary to police claims that he resisted arrest and took off. —NB, GMA News