Malacañang urges public: Trust justice system under Duterte admin

Malacañang on Saturday urged the public to "trust the justice system" under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration amid the filing of criminal charges against Caloocan City policemen involved in the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos.

"Let us allow the legal process to run its course, and trust the justice system under the Duterte presidency," China Jocson, assistant to the presidential spokesperson, said in a statement.

"The President has reminded our law enforcement officers in numerous occasions that he will not tolerate their wrongdoings or illegal acts, and the filing of a criminal complaint underscores this resolve of the government," Jocson added.

With the assistance of the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), the family of Delos Santos' filed murder and torture complaints against Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares and Police Officers 1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz, members of the Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 7.

The three policemen's 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.

The four policemen have been placed under restrictive custody at the National Capital Region Police Office's headquarters.

Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Roberto Fajardo and Caloocan City police station chief Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna have been relieved of their posts.

The Caloocan City police had claimed that policemen killed Kian in self-defense after the Grade 12 student, who they accused of being a drug runner, allegedly resisted arrest by firing at them during an anti-drugs operation in Barangay 160.

Kian's 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 had also claimed they heard Kian begging for his life before being shot to death by the policemen. —Anna Felicia Bajo/ALG, GMA News