Robredo: Conviction of cops in Kian slay shows flaws of Duterte’s war on drugs

The conviction for murder of the three policemen implicated in the killing 17-year-old Kian delos Santos showed the flaws of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Thursday.

Robredo issued the statement after the Caloocan Regional Trial Court convicted Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares and Police Officers 1 Jeremias Pereda, and Jerwin Cruz and sentenced them to up to 40 years in prison.

These policemen initially claimed that delos Santos was selling drugs and resisted arrest but CCTV footage at the crime scene showed Delos Santos being dragged by the Caloocan City police in a dark alley without resistance.

“Tagumpay ng bayan ang hatol na murder sa mga pulis na pumatay kay Kian delos Santos, ngunit nais nating ulitin ang matagal na nating itinatanong: Ilan ba sa libo-libong pinatay sa drug war ang walang sala tulad ni Kian?” Robredo said.

“Dapat itong maging simula ng isang malalim na imbestigasyon, dahil ito ay nagpapatunay na may malaking problemang kailangan ayusin sa kampanya ng pamahalaan kontra sa droga,” she added.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Benigno Durana on Thursday said that extrajudicial killings were not part of the policy in the anti-drug campaign even with over 4,900 drug suspects killed during the police’s drug buy bust operations.

Durana said the police would only resort to a “reasonable amount of force” if the drug suspects threatened the lives of the policemen apprehending them.

“Hindi nararapat na tanggapin na lamang natin na lahat ng pinapatay ay 'nanlaban.' Kailangang sundin ang itinatakda ng Konstitusyon at mga batas sa pagpapatupad ng war on drugs, upang maprotektahan ang taumbayan laban sa pang-aabuso,” said Robredo, a lawyer.

“Ito ang tanging paraan para mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga ‘di makatarungang napaslang tulad ni Kian, at maiwasan ang patuloy na pagpaslang sa mga iba pang walang sala,” she added.

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, one of the opposition’s Senate bet for next year’s polls, echoed Robredo’s sentiments that the search for justice of the victims of the drug war killings is just beginning.

“The conviction of the three police officers for murdering Kian de los Santos is a victory for justice but it is not enough,” Diokno, who heads the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) which questioned the legality of the Duterte administration’s drug war before the Supreme Court, said in a statement.

The three policemen convicted of killing delos Santos were also sentenced to reclusion perpetua and ordered to pay P345,000 worth of damages.

“The serial murderers who have taken the lives of thousands of Filipinos, as well as their commanders who ordered or condoned them, must be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Diokno said.

“The families whose loved ones were killed, just like the family of Kian de los Santos, deserve justice,” Diokno added. —NB/MDM, GMA News